Pair of ankle boots

Object Type
Ankle boots were introduced in about 1804 as fashionable women's wear. The fashion for square toes lasted from 1825 to the 1870s. These boots are made for the left and right foot. However, until 1900, many women continued to wear straights (shoes which were not shaped to distinguish between left and right so that they could be worn on either foot).

Historical Associations
Many of the British shoemakers who exhibited at the Great Exhibition stressed the variety of styles they had to offer and the novelties of their construction. These boots, for example, are made of stockinette which derives its name from a stocking stitch originally used to make socks and stockings. One shoe manufacturer, J. Sparkes Hall, was listed in The Official and Descriptive Catalogue as exhibiting 'elastic stocking-net' boots.

Design & Designing
There was widespread evidence of the harm caused by rigid, tight-fitting shoes and boots. Shoe manufacturers who exhibited at the Great Exhibition stressed the importance of the health and comfort of the foot. J. Sparkes Hall and James Dowie wrote publicity material on how their supple shoes and boots corresponded to the anatomical form of the foot, allowing it to move freely without constraint. Small cotton loops were often attached inside ankle boots to help with pulling them on.