During the mid-Regency, tied shoes went out of fashion as lace-up half-boots became popular for outdoor wear. Made of leather, these boots were more geared for long walks in the country than the delicate slippers they replaced.
Boots began to become fashionable for women in the last quarter of the 18th century, but their use was limited primarily to riding and driving. Few pairs survive, and the peculiar wrap-around leg on this example is specific to this period and extremely rare.
Colored footwear was a favored means of complimenting plain white dresses in the early 19th century.
In the early years of the 19th century boots gradually became acceptable for women. By 1804, half-boots with front lacing and ribbon trimmings, like this pair, had started to appear in fashion illustrations for ‘walking' or ‘morning' selling dress.
Product code: Selling Regency Women’s walking booties Bridgerton