1720-40, English.
“When Charles Perrault published Cinderella at the end of the 17th century, ideas of female beauty in the West were changing; daintiness was of growing importance in the “naturalization” of gender difference. High heels became a means of creating the illusion of desirably small feet. They hid the majority of the foot under women’s skirts, and the fashion for pointed toes furthered the illusion of smallness. The placement of the heel under the instep also gave the illusion of small footprint,” according to the Bata Shoe Museum.
1730-40, English.
“The majority of European women did not lead privileged lives yet they were expected to meet the same feminine obligations of upper-class women including the wearing of impractical heels. One way working women acquired footwear was through the cast-off clothing given to them by the people they served. These “gifts” would often be altered by the new wearer. This shoe originally had thin latchets that most likely were tied with a bow over the tongue but were updated to feature more fashionable straps by a later wearer,” according to the Bata Shoe Museum.
1760-80, English.
“A principal focus of the Enlightenment was establishing who should be entitled to the privileges of ‘natural rights’ which included life, liberty and the right to own property. A few philosophers advocated for the rights of all but the majority argued that these rights were ultimately only “natural” to European men of wealth and fashion was used to support these new ideas. This man’s shoe would have used to express both gender and class. Its low heel conveyed that it was masculine and the expensive fabric and ostentatious bow conveyed that it was upper class. Its use of pink might confuse us today, but in the 18th century pink was not gendered,” according to the Bata Shoe Museum.
1760s, (silk, early 18th century), English.
“The life-like renderings of plants and trees created by Chinese embroiderers and ceramicists and the fantastical plants and flowers conjured by Indian textile producers stimulated Western desire and drove imitation. Whether imported or locally made, silk fabrics featuring blossoms that referenced the “East” were fashionable throughout the Age of Enlightenment. The motif of large blossoms, most likely Chinese tree peonies, and gnarled branches, gave the textile used to make this shoe an “exotic” flair. Most likely Colonial American-made using British fabric,” according to the Bata Shoe Museum.
1780-85, English.
“During the Enlightenment, European men were held to have a “natural” capacity for reason, but it was also suggested that they were susceptible to irrationality when it came to sexual desire and they were warned to be wary of sexual manipulation. For women, despite the requirement to be “pleasing”, if they were perceived of as exploiting their “sex appeal” they were harshly criticized. Teetering on the line between being pleasing and overly sexual were high heels which soared in height during the 1780s,” according to the Bata Shoe Museum.
18th century, Indian/English.
“British imperialism profoundly altered the political, cultural and material landscapes of the Indian sub-continent. The imperialist project is evidenced in this pair of women’s shoes. They began as a pair of upper-class jutti but at some point in the 1790s, their original soles were removed and new European ones were added, transforming them into British women’s shoes. The uppers feature delicate beadwork, wrapped metallic thread establishment and iridescent sequins made from beetle-wings, all hallmarks of the fine Indian craftsmanship and luxury,” according to the Bata Shoe Musuem.
1790s, American.
“In the lead up to the American Revolution and in the years to follow, buy American became a means of demonstrating patriotism. This pair of little girl’s shoes was made in Boston shortly after the revolution in the newly established United States. It was made in the latest fashion, which demanded flats as heels had become associated with aristocratic excess. The label in the shoe clearly established that it was made by the American Jonas S. Bass whose store was located at 45 Marlboro’ Street, Boston,” according to the Bata Shoe Museum.
The Best Footwear from the Bata Shoe Museum’s New 18th Century Exhibit
Early 1800s, Myaamia.
“Both the British and the Americans were set on empire building after the Revolutionary War. Resistance was mounted by many First Nations including the Myaamia. One of the most admired leaders during the last quarter of the century was Myaamia leader Mishikinawa, also known as Little Turtle who delivered one of the worst defeats in U.S. history at the Battle of Wabash in 1791. This moccasin is said to have belonged to Mishikinawa and features the long cuffs typical of traditional Myaamia footwear decorated with fine ribbon work,” according to the Bata Shoe Museum.
n.d, French.
“In 1789, due to widespread economic inequalities, and encouraged by Enlightenment ideas regarding governance, the French began a revolution. During this time, the excesses of the aristocracy needed to be curtailed and soon how one dressed took on political meaning. French clogs symbolized the working poor, while massive Artois shoe buckles, named after the royalist Comte d’Artois, brother of Louis XVI, inspired so much disgust that many people were encouraged to donate their buckles to raise money for the revolutionary cause,” according to the Bata Shoe Museum.
19th century, Hyderabadi.
As conflicts raged across the subcontinent, complicated alliances were made between Indian leaders and either the English, French or Dutch. The final major conflict of the 18th century in India pitted the British East India Company supported by Nazim Ali Khan, Asif Jah II, of Hyderabad against the Kingdom of Mysore commanded by Tipu Sultan of Mysore. The French had promised Tipu Sultan military support but it never arrived. In death, Tipu Sultan became a hero of colonial resistance. This mojari is said to have belonged to one of the Nizams of Hyderabad, possibly Sikhander Jah, the son of Ali Khan, the Nizam who made the alignment with the British during the Fourth Mysore War,” according to the Bata Shoe Museum.
SOURCE: FOOTWEAR NEWS
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