Shoes

Unknown

1845–60 · cotton, silk · Costume Institute

As the long skirts of the mid-Victorian era seldom afforded much view of the feet, shoes tended to be relatively plain. Exceptions do of course exist, such as this pair of tie shoes in a lively striped fabric. Surviving day shoes are scarce, so an attractive example like these in such good a state of preservation is particularly desirable. Despite the added durability of the cotton upper compared to silk evening shoes, the fashion for an extremely narrow sole and impossibly tight fit was maintained for daywear, providing little increase in comfort or utility.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1845–60

Medium

cotton, silk

Culture

probably French

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Herman Delman, 1954