shoes & pattens

Summary

Black leather with oval iron stands, pink silk ribbon bows, pointed toes.

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These protective overshoes lifted up the wearer and her delicate fabric covered shoes from the mud and mire of outdoor streets and pavements. Eighteenth century women's shoes were, on the whole, not robust, but mounted on curved "Louis" heels in thin leather with uppers covered in silk damasks and brocades, or else woollens known as "stuffs". They were intended for indoor use, with pattens or clogs providing limited outdoor protection. Of course, women of fashion could also have used Sedan Chairs in towns such as London or York to be conveyed from house to house without having to step on the ground. These pattens from the later eighteenth century have the typical iron ring for stepping onto cobbles or stones on city streets, and they also have stout leather straps to tie over the shoes.