Carriage boots

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Carriage boots were worn to protect the feet during chilly carriage rides. Worn over delicate evening shoes, they were often fur lined or trimmed, and featured a slit front which allowed them to be donned and doffed with ease. This pair is unusually ornate and visually appealing by virtue of the colorful and boldly patterned uppers. The fabric is in fact a wide ribbon, most likely upholstery trim, which has been pieced together at the center. Seeing as they came from a collection of quotidian American garments, this use of serviceable but idiosyncratic material is not overly surprising.

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