Fashion Friday

Welcome to a segment I like to call "Fashion Friday".  I thought it would be fun to occasionally highlight a specific dress or fashion from history. It's incredible how much our fashion has changed and how the idea of what makes an attractive woman has changed. A woman with full hips and breasts was the ideal woman at one time. Now the media's image of the perfect woman has no form and no curves. Women now want to have that "just from the beach" tan and being pale is considered to be unattractive and sickly. The reverse of this was the view for so long through-out history. Having a tan symbolized you were from the peasantry because you were outside long enough working to get tanned. In the 1700's women (and men) wore wigs they powdered to look grey. Now we dye our hair to keep away the grey.

Since today is my first Fashoin Friday, I thought I would talk about all women's favorite accessory: shoes. Then I thought I would take it one step (haha) further and talk about shoes for your shoes! Yes someone really did invent a shoe for your shoe. Think about it ladies; You are wearing your favorite pair of  Jimmy Choo shoes to a party. You step out of the cab and right into wad of gum. Ack! Now I bet you're thinking you wish you had some kind of protection for your shoes so they wouldn't get ruined. That is where the Patten comes in!

The word Patten comes from the French word "pate" which means hoof or paw. They were several inches in height and worn over your shoes to keep them and your dress from the dangers of outdoor life. Patten shoes were popular from the 15th to the 17th centuries. They were first made out of a block of wood on the bottom to which you attached your shoe/foot by ribbon or leather. Later they had metal rings or squares on the bottom that lifted the wearer off the ground. There were many different styles of patten and and they could be made from many fabrics.

 By the 19th century, patten overshoes were fading away mainly due to the invention of rubber. Galoshes, or rubber boots became the go-to for outdoor wear.
For more shoe/patten info click here or here.