THE 19th CENTURY - French silk heeless shoe

THE 19th CENTURY - Modesty and Technology

By 1830, the square toe had come into fashion. An efficient industry manufacturing women's silk and kid footwear was developed in France in the 1830's using piecemeal workers. Their shoes were created for speculative sale in shops. The shoes were narrow but their construction was light and forgiving, allowing the wearer's foot to splay over the edges of the sole. Sturdier leather shoes and boots (for both men and women) were still made to order by a local shoemaker.

"French silk heeless shoe, c. 1850"