Nicole Rudolph | Making Victorian Mens Shoes for Gonzo Historically Accurate Cosplay @NicoleRudolph | Uploaded January 2022 | Updated October 2024, 1 day ago.
I thought I knew enough about 19th century shoemaking for this to be an easy process, but as always, there were surprises around every corner! When I first looked at the movie, I assumed the shoes were relatively accurate as they were so familiar. Almost exactly like an antique pair in my collection! But digging deeper uncovered that the chosen style made no sense under the circumstances of the character of Charles Dickens. It may be the one thing Muppets Christmas Carol got wrong (I only say this because they set the bar so high already).
It's a perfect example of how difficult research on historical shoes is, however. Fashion history itself is a new field and the resources are fairly limited. Shoes are even more so as there are fewer reference materials outside of the antiques. And unlike garments which can at least be displayed on a mannequin to understand their impact and effect, shoes are often no more than sitting on a shelf (I don't think there is a better way to do this other than to make reproductions that can be used, but the issue remains). As static objects we don't get a chance to understand them in context. That's how we end up with the wrong era, style, construction, materials, etc.
In the 19th century, despite the appearance of a very slow progression of shoe fashion, styles and construction were changing rapidly. We tend to look only at the toe and heel shape, which changed minimally for 30 years. But shoes went from being stitched to glued together (and some used a wood peg machine in between!). Uppers started to be machine sewn, as did the entirety of the shoe as the century progressed. The difference between 1840 and 1850 isn't in the toe shape (though there is a slight change)- it's in the high heels, soles, and stitches. The Victorian era rapidly moved shoemaking forward into new methods and styles.
Supplies
7/8 Sole : sorrellnotionsandfindings.com/product/baker-leather
Glace Leather : hewitonline.com/Glac_eacute_Kid_p/le-070-glacekid.htm
Wool Satin : macculloch-wallis.co.uk/p/7775/wool-suitings/mw/venetian
New Tools : rmleathersupply.com/collections/skiving-cutting-knives
Socials
Instagram: instagram.com/silk_and_buckram
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@nicole_rudolph
Patreon: patreon.com/nicolerudolph
🎶Music via Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com)
00:00 History
10:31 Sewing Uppers
13:22 Insole & Prep
16:28 Lasting
18:24 Threads & Stitching
21:54 Outsole
25:34 Heel
28:03 Finishing
I thought I knew enough about 19th century shoemaking for this to be an easy process, but as always, there were surprises around every corner! When I first looked at the movie, I assumed the shoes were relatively accurate as they were so familiar. Almost exactly like an antique pair in my collection! But digging deeper uncovered that the chosen style made no sense under the circumstances of the character of Charles Dickens. It may be the one thing Muppets Christmas Carol got wrong (I only say this because they set the bar so high already).
It's a perfect example of how difficult research on historical shoes is, however. Fashion history itself is a new field and the resources are fairly limited. Shoes are even more so as there are fewer reference materials outside of the antiques. And unlike garments which can at least be displayed on a mannequin to understand their impact and effect, shoes are often no more than sitting on a shelf (I don't think there is a better way to do this other than to make reproductions that can be used, but the issue remains). As static objects we don't get a chance to understand them in context. That's how we end up with the wrong era, style, construction, materials, etc.
In the 19th century, despite the appearance of a very slow progression of shoe fashion, styles and construction were changing rapidly. We tend to look only at the toe and heel shape, which changed minimally for 30 years. But shoes went from being stitched to glued together (and some used a wood peg machine in between!). Uppers started to be machine sewn, as did the entirety of the shoe as the century progressed. The difference between 1840 and 1850 isn't in the toe shape (though there is a slight change)- it's in the high heels, soles, and stitches. The Victorian era rapidly moved shoemaking forward into new methods and styles.
Supplies
7/8 Sole : sorrellnotionsandfindings.com/product/baker-leather
Glace Leather : hewitonline.com/Glac_eacute_Kid_p/le-070-glacekid.htm
Wool Satin : macculloch-wallis.co.uk/p/7775/wool-suitings/mw/venetian
New Tools : rmleathersupply.com/collections/skiving-cutting-knives
Socials
Instagram: instagram.com/silk_and_buckram
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@nicole_rudolph
Patreon: patreon.com/nicolerudolph
🎶Music via Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com)
00:00 History
10:31 Sewing Uppers
13:22 Insole & Prep
16:28 Lasting
18:24 Threads & Stitching
21:54 Outsole
25:34 Heel
28:03 Finishing
