Court shoes

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Early men's shoes in good condition are scarce, and this pair of court shoes presents several interesting features. The red heel was an aristocratic conceit stemming from the 17th century, and worn throughout the next century. By the end of the 18th century, ornate jeweled buckles were no longer fashionable for street wear, but were still worn at court. Shoes which laced closed with a tie thus replaced latchet shoes, in which a buckled strap provided the fastening. These shoes have been altered to make them suitable for court wear: they are constructed with a tie closure, but the retardataire strap has been added to accommodate the buckle.

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