In the world of late 19th and early 20th Century fashion, shoes have been a recent topic of discussion. Yesterday, while touring the FIDM Museum in Downtown Los Angeles, we came across two pairs of boots that were on display in the Museum’s permanent collection. The first pair are from 1903:

Here’s a close-up of the shoe:

The toes on these boots are constructed of gold- colored leather while the uppers are of a blue suede with inset gold gilt leather strips that create a floral pattern. Finally, the laces are of a matching blue ribbon. Although we were unable to get a good look at the heel, it appears that it was between 2 and 3 inches.

The second pair are circa 1910:

Although this pair of boots were made seven years later, they are almost identical to the first pair in terms of style although this time, the uppers are of black suede. Also, it must be noted that the first pair were made in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania while the second pair were made in Marienbad, Austro-Hungary (today the Czech Republic). The condition of both pair of boots is simply amazing and most likely these were never worn (or perhaps once or twice) and it also underscores how fashions were becoming increasingly international. Stay tuned for more posts on footwear. 🙂