AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Contemporary Accoutrements => Topic started by: Nhgrants on May 08, 2019, 01:10:19 AM
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Did the shoe common to civil war reenactors exist before 1840?
Basically I'm wondering if they would be pc for a primitive rendezvous?
Thanks
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The bootee (the correct terminology) style was seen back to at least the Napoleonic era. They varied in height and number of lace eyelets, but they were of a similar style, except Civil War bootees were for the most part made on left and right lasts, before the mid-late 1850s they were usually straight lasted.
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I've read that the lace-up shoe became common after Jefferson returned from France. Because of the insanity following their revolution, buckle shoes were considered something the aristocracy would wear, so they fell out of fashion like the heads of the "aristos." The ankle-length brogan, with laces, was called a "Jefferson Bootie"--taller than the common low-cut shoe, but shorter than the half-boots of the day. The famous Minuteman statue that's all over the New England area shows him wearing half-boots with low gaiters. Even into the early 20th century, lace-up brogans were still called "Jeffersons." So, they would probably be correct for any reenactments in the 19th century. I commonly wear Amish dress shoes, classic Jeffersons, and perhaps the best quality shoes I've ever had. (Gohn Brothers). They're perfect for the 1845 time frame for our living history program at Fort Vancouver.