Raffles Fashion -- Shoes

[satanassa]

I find the clothing of the Raffles stories to be quite interesting -- the coats, hats, shoes etc. So I'm thinking of doing a series about various items of fashion and clothing. Just a bit of fun for all of us!

Comments

[constantmuse]

oh yes, how beautiful!!! oooh, patent leather with a grosgrain bow! (swoons) on a man's foot (swoons again)

And interesting to me because I have always understood what we call 'court shoes' in the UK (now exclusively women's shoes) are 'pumps' in the US.

please post some more on Raffles and Bunny's costumes - I would be very interested.

[satanassa]

Well, I read US published versions of the Raffles stories, so it is possible they changed the words from 'court shoes' to 'pumps'. But you are right, they are pretty much the same kind of shoe.
Yes, it is fun to imagine men wearing these, they must have looked so nice!

What TV episode is the picture in your icon from?

[constantmuse]

oh hai. Sorry to have delayed in replying.

it is possible they changed the words from 'court shoes' to 'pumps' I doubt it. 'Court shoes' in the 19th C. and today, for men, would be the sort worn with hose and breeches by peers with their robes, or liveried servants, for state occasions.

But I've always wondered where US 'pumps' came from, and your post seems to have answered it.

altopiano has added the further important detail I'd forgotten - when I was young 'pumps' was the word in England for light canvas shoes with rubber soles worn for physical education, gym, dancing lessons etc. So when I read the line you quoted, that is probably the image I had in mind - suitable for stealthy burgling

[psychedk]

Hah, women's shoes *snickers childishly* XD

Do post about it! I love Victorian clothes :P

[satanassa]

I love Victorian men's clothes too.

[altopiano]

Oh, how, um, ladylike, LOL!

I must admit that pumps to me meant something more like plimsolls. But this makes much more sense, seeing as they'd been at the Café Royal earlier in the evening (and it specifically says that Raffles 'looked like a man who had dressed to dine out'.)

Looking forward to more of these posts! :)

[satanassa]

Thanks, the only problem is getting hold of good pictures!

[delvinan]

What a good idea! Thank you for this, and good luck with finding pictures for future 'episodes'. No expert on fashion, historical or otherwise, myself, but this sort of thing is bound to be useful for the added period detail in fics to come!

[satanassa]

Thanks, I've got ideas for a few other items of clothing.

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