1939 Gold Evening Shoe

#ObjectOfTheWeek is this stunning 1939 gold evening shoe by Swiss luxury brand Bally. Featured in the Bata Shoe Museum’s online exhibit “WANT: Desire, Design, and Depression Era Footwear”, this piece is indicative of the glamour of the era. The captivating sandals feature seashell ornamentation; the designer perhaps wanted the person wearing the shoe to feel as tho they were Venus emerging from the sea. These would be the perfect, eye-catching shoe for dancing. 

Although gold may seem like a luxurious option, during this frugal era, it was said that gold or silver shoes were practical as they went with most colors and could be worn day or night. The metallic leather could be easily touched up with gold or silver shoe polish allowing the shoe to look new. Buying quality products that could be mended or repaired helped to reduce the need to buy new ones while keeping the wearer fashionable. 

Image: Gold evening shoe with leather seashell ornamentation on either side of the foot. Object photo © The Bata Shoe Museum