Emma was not inclined to give herself much trouble for his entertainment, and after hard labour of mind, [Lord Osborne] produced the remark of its being a very fine day, and followed it up with the question of: “Have you been walking this morning?”
Walking dress with blue half boots, 1818. La Belle Assemblee.
“No my lord, we thought it too dirty.” (Unpleasant, stormy.)
“You should wear half boots.” After another pause: “Nothing sets off a neat ankle more than a half boot; nankeen galoshed with black looks very well. Do not you like half boots?”
“Yes; but unless they are so stout as to injure their beauty, they are not fit for country walking.” – Jane Austen, The Watsons
Satin half boots, 1830. Image @Vintage Textile
Ladies shoes were quite delicate in Jane Austen’s day. They were made of satin or soft kid leather, and thin soles with short heels. Kid leather was a soft and pliable leather made from young goat skin that was often used for slippers (and gloves as well). Shoes made from kid leather could be dyed or embroidered, but the thin flimsy material could barely withstand ordinary wear and tear, much less rough treatment.
Delicate pastel kid shoes with stencilled motif, 1800. Image @Victoria & Albert Museum
During the mid-Regency, tied shoes went out of fashion as lace-up half-boots became popular for outdoor wear. Made of leather or nankeen (a durable natural cotton from China, with a distinct yellow color), these boots were more geared for long walks in the country than the delicate slippers they replaced. But the boots were deceptive, for the leather was quite thin by today’s standards and tore and scuffed easily or were quickly ruined by the elements. As a general rule, thick leather shoes with sturdy wooden soles were worn by laborers. The ruling classes, it was felt, needed no such rough and tumble items.
1795-1815 leather boots. Image @Metropolitan Museum Collection.
Although still a minority in women’s footwear at the beginning of the 19th century, ankle boots would become the dominant style of daytime footwear by the 1830s. This early pair of fashionable boots shoes shows the importance of angular lines, repeated throughout designs and evident from what ever position the boots are viewed. The museum also possesses a similar boot with a small “Italian” heel (2009.300.1487), demonstrating the overlap in styles. The original shoelaces, unlike those now in the boots, would have most likely matched the dark teal color of the leather. – Met Mus collection database
1795-1810, blue European boots. Image @Metropolitan Museum Collection
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. Although not well-fitted enough to provide a particularly secure fastening to the foot, the wrapped leg may have been intended to provide superior protection from dust and moisture than the standard laced closure. Colored footwear was a favored means of complimenting plain white dresses in the early 19th century, and the dark teal blue color seen here seems to have been particularly favored.- Boots
1812-1820 ladies boots. Image @Victoria & Albert Museum
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’ dress. Hardwearing cottons – the striped uppers are made of cotton jean – became increasingly available and were used as alternatives to leather. Heroines in novels by Jane Austen (1775-1817) are often described wearing footwear of this kind. V&A
Nankeen half boots, 1795-1810. Image @Virginia Review
Toughening Nankeen for rough wear and tear: To Wash- Put a handful of salt into a vessel with a gallon of cold water immerse the nankeenm and let it remain for twenty four hours; then wash it in hot lye without soapm and hang up to dry without wringing it, Nankeen washed in this manner will keep its colour for a long time – The Dictionary of Daily Wants, 1866
1830. Sturdier damask gaiter boots. Image @Vintage Textile
Jane Austen's World 
Very interesting to see photos of these boots!
Those wrap round boots are a thing of beauty. It must have been so restricting not having decent heavy duty foot wear – not to mention have cold feet most of the time when standing outside. I had thin soled shoes once (fashion over function) when I lived in Glasgow and spent most of the time will my legs perma frozen.
How could they walk a mile muchless three ( as Jane Austen said she did) in such shoes? Also, remember Elizabeth Bennet walking across those muddy fields– not that the roads wouldn’t have been as muddy.
I know some ladies wore out a pair of shoes at a dance. Some carried a second pair with them. Pattens which raised the foot above the ground helped to protect the shoes, but I would think they would be awkward to walk in.
Farmers and the laboring classes must have had sturdier shoes, though. I can’t see a farmer’s wife wearing something so flimsy as even the nankeen boots to feed the hens.
You are absolutely right, Nancy. The working classes wore sturdier shoes with thick leather uppers and wooden soles that did not readily wear out. The clothing that the upper class women wore says so much about them: they donned costly flimsy dresses that took untold hours to embroider, and shoes that were designed more for decoration than for practical function. These shoes remind us of their idle lifestyles – but one does wonder if different shoes were worn by the country gentry for long walks.
Beautiful, thank you for this!
When I think about how delicate their clothing & footwear was several things come to mind. First of all, no wonder they needed a huge income to stay in the ranks of the fashionable. Secondly, they must have kept the economy going in a way we can hardly imagine now. Think of the army of people required to keep up with the demand for shoes alone! The farmers who raised the kids for leather, the weavers, the importers, the dyers, the folks who made the lasts, who stitched the shoes… The list goes on & on. Fine ladies must have spent an amazing amount of time choosing new fabrics, styles, colours.
Great posting, and I especially enjoyed your illustrations, Vic. I am reminded of a “prima” ballerina (not sure if that’s the correct term, but she was certainly a star) I was slightly acquainted with some years ago. I remember her telling me that she would wear out a pair of ballet shoes with each performance! These shoes look much like hers. She told me, and this is kind of incredible, so perhaps I misunderstood her, that there was a little old shoemaker somewhere (can’t remember where) who only made shoes for her. That’s all he did, period.
Very interesting, thank you. Vic; thank you, too, Miriam, for your insights. Something to ponder…
The half boots Elizabeth wore for that country walk did look serviceable (at least in movie-land), and I think you’re right, Vic; they must’ve had something more durable for the country!
Men’s beautiful Hessian boots must have certainly been thick, and so I would imagine tougher leather was not an unknown thing.
Thanks for another great post!
Yes Martha and Vic, I agree with you: they should have something more serviceable and durable for the countryside.
Very imformative post. It strikes me that the clothing of the day, including the footwear, served the purpose of reining in the wearer’s freedom, of reinforcing the idea that ladies were not to do anything athletic or active. They could barely breathe in their corsets. And if a young woman tried to run in any of these shoes, she would surely live to regret it – a turned ankle or bruised heel from stepping on a stone.
Very interesting read, love them pictures, it just shows even going back to a different century`s the styles of these boots are still about today in our fashion high street.
Thanks for a great post.
After visiting Williamsburg, Va, too many times to count, I remember the shoe maker’s shop saying that shoes were not made for left and right feet, but with just one last for both feet. Do you know anything about this, Vic?
[…] our fascinating peek into the essentials for a fasionable Regency wardrobe, we’re looking at Ladies Half Boots Regency Fashion by […]
I still marvel at the impracticality of white shoes even for indoor wear. It amazes me that so many have survived and are still clean!
[…] fascinating peek into the essentials for a fashionable Regency wardrobe, we’re looking at Ladies Half Boots Regency Fashion by […]
[…] fascinating peek into the essentials for a fashionable Regency wardrobe, we’re looking at Ladies Half Boots Regency Fashion by […]
Most interesting indeed! Beautiful pictures.