Shoes: For Work and Play
Almost in extreme reaction to the wide shoes of the previous decades, women’s shoes of the 1890s were slimmer than they had ever been before. Sometimes referred to as “needlepoint” shoes, boots like the ones pictured to the right would have been awfully tight but quite fashionable. In the 1890s, when these shoes were made, the russet color of the leather was considered acceptable for everyday wear but not for special occasions due to their growing association with work and the countryside.Though the toes were narrow, these shoes would have been preferable to working-class ladies due to their stacked heels. Stacked heels were made of layered pieces of leather, which made them sturdier and better for workwear. Alternatively, other types of heels were typically made with wood and covered with leather or fabric to match the shoe's design.
By the 1870s, slippers became the shoe of choice for women’s evening wear. Though not nearly as elaborate as other mid-1890s evening slippers, these blush pink beauties would have been quite fashionable for the working-class woman looking to impress at a party. For working-class women who worked long days, getting dolled up for a night of dancing was an empowering way to assert their independence. In 1897, the Sears Catalog sold similar satin evening shoes in a variety of colors for $1.98 per pair, which would amount to well over $50 today—quite a deal by 19th century clothing cost standards. Shorter heels like these French or Louis heels became increasingly common for everyday slippers even though they were not nearly as durable as the stacked leather boots above.
As hemlines got shorter, boot lengths tended to get higher. The brown leather boots pictured here were the latest style for the mid-1910s with their front laces. At this time, walking books such as these would have always included front laces rather than the buttons seen on boots not much earlier. The high Cuban heels and protective leather of these boots would have been great for the working-class women as they promenaded the streets. Not long after these boots were made in 1915, boots would fall out of favor for decades due to even shorter hemlines that encouraged more exposed leg and the high prices of leather during World War I.
