| Fanny & Vera Home About Us News Links Contact |
Reproduction
boots and shoes are available, but are expensive. The quality of these
shoes is good, and with good care they will last through many years of reenacting.
If you cannot get them right away, there are alternatives. It is difficult
to find modern footwear that is identical to the styles of the period,
but you can find styles that are reasonably close and reasonably priced.
These will get you through so you can begin enjoying reenactments.
Around
the house and for lighter wear, women wore dainty little homemade slippers with
thin cardboard soles. These slippers, not surprisingly, did not wear very
well. Another type of slipper was the botine-usually homemade in fashion
fabrics. This would be a soft, comfortable alternative to boots or heeled
shoes for a reenactor.
Elaborately
decorated shoes with flat soles or exquisite little heels were preferred for
more genteel occasions; visiting, parties or dances. They came in a rainbow
of colors and variety of trims
Queen
Victoria was the tend setter who introduced the stylish and practical ladies
boot. Named for the country castle at which she wore them, the Balmoral style
of footwear was quite popular. These were boots that encased the foot
and rose above the ankle, and had flat or 1-2 inch heels. They were available
in delicate, decorated little high heeled affairs in white leather or exquisite
fabrics. They were also styled as sturdy low-heeled working boots devoid
of beauty but full on function.
Farm
wives, frontier women, and working women also adopted the men's brogan.
These tough, serviceable shoes could last through long work days. They
were sturdy and durable, comfortable and functional.
Shoes and stylish boots of the period seemed agonizingly narrow to my modern eyes, and were very narrow in the toe. The toe of the shoe tapered down to a point or a little squared end. Work boots and brogans were wider, and tapered to a wider, more comfortable squared toe.
Ladies' fashionable boots and shoes of the day laced up the front. It is difficult to find modern boots without speed laces on the ankles. If you find boots with eyelets all the way up, feel fortunate and buy them! In addition to being more period correct, the darn speed-laces catch on the hem of your skirt and rip the seams.
Once
again, your local thrift shop comes to your rescue! Fortunately, a Balmoral
style of boot has been in fashion for the last few years, so you will probably
be able to find a close match to this style. Try to purchase real leather
or suede boots. Choose black or brown.
You will probably be stuck with speed-laces on the boot. Do the best you can. If your boots come with nylon laces, replace them with leather laces or black cotton braid laces.
Folks with odd sized feet may have difficulty finding second hand shoes. Fortunately, I have seen Balmoral types of boots (usually called booties) marketed new in catalogs and large discount shoe stores. They don't come very high up the ankle, and are almost a sort of brogan, but will do to get you started.
The thing to avoid at all costs are "waffle-stompers" or hiking-type boots! Look for boots with the smoothest possible sole, to resemble leather soles of the times.
Once you have done your shoe research and know what you are looking for, with some luck at yard sales and thrift shops, you may be able to find a pair of pumps with a heel & toe that closely matches the style of the period. You can then decorate them at home and have a fine pair of party shoes.
To view a complete assortment of Civil War era shoe styles, be sure to visit Miss Vera's Shoe Closet.
