Slippers

E.D. Burt & Co. Fine Shoes

1865–85 · silk, metal · Costume Institute

Special occasion clothing is the most commonly preserved, so while wedding and evening shoes are usually well represented in historical collections, surviving loungewear, such as this pair of boudoir slippers, is less common. This appealing and nicely detailed example highlights the prevailing taste for a deep and rich color scheme. The bright purple color was made possible by the discovery and development of synthetic dyes beginning in the late 1850s.

Artist

E.D. Burt & Co. Fine Shoes

Date

1865–85

Medium

silk, metal

Culture

American

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Beulah Stevenson, 1958