Researching a shoe donation from Alphington
Shoes, dating to about 1760
From the collections at RAMM. Accession No. 54/1973
Red velvet shoes dating from the 1760s
By Natalie Raw, RAMM Assistant Curator of Costume & Textiles
How often have your feet had to suffer just so you could wear those fashionable pair of shoes? This idea is nothing new, as can be shown by these sumptuous red silk velvet shoes that are around 250 years old. In the late 1700s Englishwomen looked to the extravagance of Paris for fashion inspiration. These shoes, dating from the 1760s, have what is known as a 'French' high heel. The height helps to make the foot look small and petite. But this fashionable look comes at the price of comfort with the wearer probably only able to totter rather than walk. Commentators from the time of these shoes remarked on the frivolity of fashion.
This quote comes from a poem making fun at those who wore high heels. It was first printed in the Salisbury Journal, in 1753, and then reprinted in many other magazines
On slippers of velvet, set gold a-la-daub,
But mount on French heels when you go to a ball,
'Tis the fashion to totter, and shew you can fall
Little is known about their history of these shoes. Someone living in Alphington donated them to the museum in 1973 but where they came from originally and whom the belonged to is not known. Research can help to build up a better picture of their story. We can compare the shoes to examples in museum collections. Historical sources from the period are also a great help.
Fashionable dresses in the rooms at Weymouth, Lady's Magazine, 1774
Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter
Just like now, in the past there were fashion magazines. In the late 1700s a fashionable Englishwoman may have looked to the 'Lady's Magazine' to see what the latest trends were. Drawn illustrations like the one here, dating from 1774, would act as a guide. The illustrations could be accompanied by a written description. This might include what colours were acceptable, the type of fabrics needed and the type of accessories to wear.
From such descriptions we can suggest the rich red colour and silk velvet meant these shoes were worn in wintertime. They have a silver braid trim around the edge and the tabs would be fastened together by a decorative buckle of precious metal or cut steel. For extra sparkle buckles were often decorated with polished stones. The shoes would probably have been made to go with a couple of winter outfits. Fashion illustrations from the time show outfits of open robe gowns in silk, worn with a type of coat called a redingote or pelisse, which are lavishly trimmed with fur.
By the end of the 18th century high heels, such as these, fell out of fashion. However, as is often the way in fashion, this style of heel has had various revivals. In the 1920s the 'French' style became known as the 'Louis' heel, after King Louis XV of France. The 'Louis' heel continues to be a popular shape and can be seen on shoe styles today.