Dance oxfords
La Ray Footwear
1940–49 · leather · Costume Institute
Tony DeMarco, who wore and donated this pair of oxfords, was a prominent professional ballroom dancer in the 1940s. While not obviously distinct in style from other men's shoes of the time, these are in fact specialized dance shoes with the light and flexible construction and rubber-tread sole needed to provide agility and sure footing on a polished dance floor. As DeMarco had similar shoes in black patent that would have been appropriate for wear with a tail coat, it is probable that these suede shoes were meant to complement the more casual attire worn for Latin dances.
- Artist
- La Ray Footwear
- Date
- 1940–49
- Medium
- leather
- 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 Mr. and Mrs. Tony de Marco, 1962
