A timeline history of Shoes and Fashion

The 17th Century:
ENLIGHTENMENT, REVOLUTIONS, RIBBONS & BOWS

WHAT’S GOING ON?
Wars. Political wars. Religious wars. Political religious wars. War continued to rage and escalate while all at the same time there developed amazing advances in modern science and technology and new philosophical outlooks.  The 17th century had it all. It was the age of Enlightenment.




<Left: Detail. Musical Company
1639. Pieter Codde, Oil on canvas.
Private collection.






The Thirty Years war raged between the Catholics and the Protestants, the Sun King burned over France and trouble was brewing in England with Charles I and Parliament which ended in civil war, the loss of his head and a short jaunt into a commonwealth nation with Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector before the restoration of Charles II in 1660.  Italy and Spain lost dominance while Holland and France grew in influence in power. 

back to top

MEN’S FASHION:
At the beginning of the century, those pesky conservative styles were still lingering from the previous era but gradually fashion became much more colorful and extravagant and more importantly, less rigid.  New softer fabrics were introduced that flowed gracefully out from the body and all that excessive decoration disappeared. Men wore doublets with rounded waists, slashed sleeves with leg of mutton breeches.  And what’s this?  A new non-neck irritating soft falling ruff. 




Right: Detail. Portrait of a Man. Sébastien Bourbon, Oil on canvas,
Musée Fabre, Montpellier>






France became the center of all that was fashionable and a new manic craze developed where everyone raced to wear the best of the best.  The middleclass copied royalty, so royalty wore something new to which the middleclass copied again, so royalty had to try something else, etc., etc., etc., creating a vicious cycle.  Suddenly rank wasn’t obvious by the clothes one wore and men, in the hot pursuit of elegance, suddenly dressed quite frivolous with their satin suits, cloaks of silk and scented collars of flowers. 

<Left: Louis XIV Receiving Swiss Ambassadors. Van der Meulen 1663. Versailles, Museum. Louis and his entourage are wearing petticoat breeches along with shoes with big feminine bows.





By mid century the odd fashion of petticoat breeches were all the rage and I say odd because men looked like they were prancing around in skirts because they were so wide and gathered. The fact that they covered them in a slew of fancy ribbons and bows didn’t help matters much.  Yes, it was quite a dandy time for all.  Men were more elegant and feminine than the women!  Toward the end of the era, fashions cooled down and became more tame and thankfully those petticoat breeches disappeared.  (Louis’ new wife was somewhat of a prude, but you didn’t hear that from me.)

back to top

MEN’S SHOES:
Boots became fashionable at the English court during Charles I’s reign.  Due to the probability that he had rickets as a child, Charles couldn’t walk without use of supports, thus a shoemaker designed boots to hide them.  Charles could later walk without these supports but by the time he became king, the fashion of wearing boots became all the rage for the gentlemen of the court.  Everyone wore boots.  All classes and sorts.  Indoors and out and for every type of occasion. 




Right: Charles I, King of England at the Hunt. 1635. Sir Anthony Van Dyck. Oil on canvas Musée du Louvre, Paris >





Later in the century, shoes and stockings became very important when the tailored coat and breeches came into fashion for the focus shifted to the lower body.  Suddenly it was all about the shapely legs and men wanted to wear flattering fanciful hose and shoes to accentuate them.



<Left: Detail. Portrait of Louis XIV
1701. Hyacinthe Rigaud. Oil on canvas. Musée du Louvre, Paris







Louis XIV also had a thing for high heels with red soles and heels. It must have been tough being short in stature but lofty in power so I guess he thought he would even it up a bit.  Of course, what the king does, everyone else copies, so everyone who was anyone wore high heels with red soles and heels.  After all, what would be more proper to wear with Petticoat breeches, than high-heeled shoes?  Boots went completely out of style in favor of these new elegant heels now elaborately decorated with ribbons, rosettes or buckles.




Right: Detail: Merry Company. 1620-22 Willem Buytewech. Oil on canvas, Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest>





back to top
WOMEN’S FASHION:
Unfortunately, those dreaded cone shaped, rigid Spanish styles continued into the early 17th century along with that ridiculous slashing although the farthingale transformed into a more feminine silhouette.




<Left: Detail. Family Portrait. 1650s. Gonzales Coques. Oil on panel. Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest.






By mid century, gowns became lighter and softer with fitted backs, covered shoulders, a square neck edged in lace with flat flowing sleeves.  After 1680, the under-petticoat became elaborately trimmed with gold or silk embroidery and the upper skirt was gathered full with a tight fitting bodice decorated with elaborate ribbons, ruffles and lace. 

WOMEN’S SHOES: 
In the 1660s women to pay more attention to their shoes and no longer wanted the same shape as men’s.  A variety of exquisitely embroidered shoes in silk, satin and velvet appeared trimmed with lace which fell in a deep flounce over the foot. Slippers had heels often measuring six inches made of colored satin to match the costume.




Right: The Red Heel, its vamp and tongue dripping with silver lace applique in the ultimate of Rococo style.>






Small feet were considered the in thing, so naturally women tried to make them smaller by binding them with their own hair. This along with all the tight lacing made her so uncomfortable she often fainted. It's no wonder we never took over the world.



<Left: Fancy elegantly embroidered Rococo slipper. c. 1650.







For more images of 1600's shoes, please visit my Styles Gallery

back to top