Evening slippers. Culture: probably American. Date: 1830-45.Simple flat satin slippers were the most popular evening and formal shoe for women throughout the first half of the 19th century. While the various forms of bows and rosettes used as trimming changed, the basic cut of the shoe varied only slightly, with gradual modifications in the toe shape, the shape depth of the throat, and the width of the sole. Plainness of cut, however, did not necessarily indicate cheapness or economy in construction, and many surviving shoes exhibit refined and exacting standards of manufacture. This pair of slippers features especially attractive finishing to sole, and indication of quality visible only to its user. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.