Shoes
Designer John Golden
Not on view
The low tie was the dominant style of man's shoe in the mid 19th century. These dressy black patent shoes are a modified version of the latchet tie style of the previous century, with their narrow latchets secured through a single eyelet. Multiple-eyelet shoes of the same basic cut, the predecessor of today's blucher, were in use at the time, but the more delicate latchet form is appropriate to a shoe better suited to social entertainments than hard wear. Patent leather was introduced into footwear in the 1790s, and its shiny surface has made it a popular choice for men’s formal dress ever since.
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