Evening pumps 1890

These ‘Evening Pumps’ by Steigerwalt are a potent reminder of the social rituals of their time. Made of silk and leather, these shoes speak volumes about the culture of conspicuous consumption. Looking at them, we can easily imagine the wearers and their social settings. These were not everyday shoes but rather a marker of belonging to a social elite in the United States at the turn of the 19th century. They were probably worn at balls and other social gatherings. Such an item allows us to look into the complex dynamics of social class, cultural values, and economic structures of the time. Examining an object like this through museum archives, historical fashion publications, and even literature from the period allows us to learn about the social world to which it belonged.