Shoes

Robustly pattered fabrics were a common choice for the footwear of aristocratic ladies in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The bold, eye-catching and appealing textile of this pair of latchet shoes creates a luxurious feeling by the combination of velvet and metallic trim. Although the white rand (leather strip along the front edge of the sole) and red heel were not unusual features, here they make an especially pleasing coordination with the fabric of the uppers. While perhaps excessive to modern eyes, the wide metallic ribbon trim on the vamp was a favorite decorative element of the period.