Regency Shoes – Delightful Flats

I’m a little in love with Regency right now, can you tell?  I’ve got new duds for both myself and Mr. C to do, but we’re also prepping a new Regency shoe for pre-order.  Yaaaay!

Before I share pictures of the new “Highbury” flat, though, I inspire you with these original examples that were closely referenced to create our new dyeable satin shoes:

The Met: 1800-1815

Powerhouse Museum 1810-1815

The Met, c. 1812

Once again we are following the “hallmarks” of Regency footwear – pointed toe, high vamp, and side seams. There is also another hallmark to notice – the spring heel.  It is a common misconception that Regency shoes were totally flat.  Most Regency flat have a small wedge under the heel, sometimes covered in leather, like on this Met shoe:

The Met, 1815-20

Many Regency shoes had ribbons attached, to lace up the leg for a Greco-Roman look.  In Abigail Adam’s slippers, you can see tiny little loops set inside the shoe, just for this purpose:

Abigail Adams’ slippers, The Smithsonian, image via FashionablyCorrect.com

We thought this was a great idea, too, so you’ll find loops like these on the inside of “Highbury.”

I will show you photos of the new “Highbury” soon! For now, dream of the all the possibilities. 🙂