Shoes, blue velvet boudoir slippers, 1830-1840, top view

1830-1840. Boudoir slippers. Blue velvet indoor shoe with a medium vamp (toe) having a recede toe construction (a flat, low profile with no toe box), a sightly rounded square toe shape, and a shallow square tongue. The vamp is sewn to the quarters (backs) at the sides. The slippers are embroidered with satin stitch, French knots, stem stitch, and gold thread to create a prominent floral element on the vamp, and smaller elements on the sides and at the back. The sole is thin leather, completely flat with no heel, which is undifferentiated left from right. The quarters are lined with kidskin, the vamp is lined with cotton. A fragmented label is glued to the insole. Professionally made. Hand-sewn.

The Irma G. Bowen Historic Clothing Collection digital catalog was produced by the UNH Library Digital Collection Initiative, supported in part by a grant from the Mooseplate program and New Hampshire State Council on the Arts. Additional funding provided by the E. Ruth Buxton Stephenson Memorial Fund.

Photography copyright, Astrida Schaeffer.