Shoes

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Most aficionados of historic fashion are well acquainted with 18th century ladies' shoes in the classic buckled latchet style, as they survive in fairly good number. The predecessor of these - latchet ties shoes - are however fairly scarce in good unaltered condition. In order to extend their life as fashionable footwear, latchet tie shoes were frequently modified to accommodate a buckle. The trend toward lighter floral designs of the Rococo period can already be seen in the silk brocade of this pair of shoes from the first quarter of the century. Particularly notable is the exaggerated curve formed by heel breast and sole, culminating in the slightly up-turned and very pointed toe which was fashionable during the period.

The Costume Institute

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Metropolitan Museum of Art