Shoes
The social revolution of the 1920s opened the door for more casual and youthful clothing design. Sportswear provided the most fertile ground for innovation, and some of the more extreme men's fashions, including plus-fours and oxford bags, are now icons of the period. The spectator shoe is also in this class. This pair of classic spectator shoes combines all the quintessential features: white leather with black or brown wing tip and foxing, fully pinked and perforated at the edges, medallion tip, and an oxford cut. The appeal of this design has spawned a pump version for women, and alternate cuts (blucher, loafer, etc.) for both sexes.
Artwork Details
- Title: Shoes
- Manufacturer: Attributed to Hill & Novis
- Date: 1935–45
- Culture: American
- Medium: leather
- Credit Line: Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Michael Abraham, 1976
- Object Number: 2009.300.1603a–d
- Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute
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Hill & Novis
ca. 1935
Multiple artists/makers
spring/summer 2022
Elizabeth Hawes
1937
Charles James
1955
Charles James
1946
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