Evening boots

Evening boots

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

In an effort to protect their modesty and sense of decorum, proper ladies of the mid-19th century wore ankle boots when venturing out in public, even for evening events. This typical pair of 1860s boots for evening or carriage wear displays especially refined curved lines at the ankle and top edge. The large rosette adds texture and interest to the otherwise undecorated surface. The front lace was predominant in the 1860s, but was superseded by button closures in the 1870s.

The Costume Institute

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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The Costume Institute's collection of more than thirty-three thousand objects represents seven centuries of fashionable dress and accessories for men, women, and children, from the fifteenth century to the present.