Shoes

Delicate evening slippers from the first half of the 19th century survive in abundance in museum collections. It is refreshing then to find a well-preserved and attractive example of a laced shoe of the period. These shoes, which feature a much heavier sole than ordinary day shoes, were intended for street wear, although their silk fabric would not have afforded more that a very genteel promenade. The rounded toe indicates a date prior to 1830, by which time square toes were dominant. Strong colors like this appealing green were often chosen at the time to both compliment and contrast the main garment.