Pair of ladies’ shoes with a wedge heel and a tassel

anonymous, c. 1800 - c. 1810

In the 1780s heels reached an unprecedented height, whereby women teetered uncomfortably on their forefeet. In the period after 1790, under the influence of the French Revolution, fashion became simpler, and flat shoes became stylish. Fabric shoes increasingly gave way to ones made of leather. Over the course of time, the toes became more pointed.