Pair of Shoes
1830-1835 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
As skirts became wider and shorter during the 1830s attention focussed on the foot and ankle. Brightly coloured silk shoes complemented the richness of the gown, often matching the sash or the long fluttering ribbons worn in the hat. They came in a wide variety of colours, including the ‘canary yellow’, ‘palm-leaf green’ and ‘marshmallow blossom’. Delicate bows and rosettes enhanced the daintiness of the shoe and foot.
Due to their fragility, silk ‘slippers’ were usually reserved for indoor wear, evening dress or special occasions. Looking at these examples it is not difficult to see why. Although the toes are lined with linen and the back of the upper with kid, they were clearly not made to last. Some writers complained that silk shoes became distorted and ugly after a few days wear. They were also probably uncomfortable as the toes are narrow, square and very shallow.
Due to their fragility, silk ‘slippers’ were usually reserved for indoor wear, evening dress or special occasions. Looking at these examples it is not difficult to see why. Although the toes are lined with linen and the back of the upper with kid, they were clearly not made to last. Some writers complained that silk shoes became distorted and ugly after a few days wear. They were also probably uncomfortable as the toes are narrow, square and very shallow.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Silk satin, lined with kid leather, linen |
| Brief description | Pair of shoes covered in silk satin, Great Britain, 1830-1835 |
| Physical description | Pair of heel-less shoes of yellow silk satin with a shallow square toe rounded at the sides. Trimmed with a ribbon bow. Lined with kid leather and the name of the owner is inscribed on the inside. The shoes have a linen insole and leather sole. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'RIGHT 656' and 'LEFT 656' (Each shoe with its corresponding inscription) |
| Credit line | Given by C. M. Buckney, Esq. |
| Summary | As skirts became wider and shorter during the 1830s attention focussed on the foot and ankle. Brightly coloured silk shoes complemented the richness of the gown, often matching the sash or the long fluttering ribbons worn in the hat. They came in a wide variety of colours, including the ‘canary yellow’, ‘palm-leaf green’ and ‘marshmallow blossom’. Delicate bows and rosettes enhanced the daintiness of the shoe and foot. Due to their fragility, silk ‘slippers’ were usually reserved for indoor wear, evening dress or special occasions. Looking at these examples it is not difficult to see why. Although the toes are lined with linen and the back of the upper with kid, they were clearly not made to last. Some writers complained that silk shoes became distorted and ugly after a few days wear. They were also probably uncomfortable as the toes are narrow, square and very shallow. |
| Bibliographic reference | Miller, Lesley Ellis, and Ana Cabrera Lafuente, with Claire Allen-Johnstone, eds. Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 2021. ISBN 978-0-500-48065-6.
This object features in the publication Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion (2021) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.178&A-1962 |
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| Record created | October 18, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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