Some of you may be wondering how, when, and where to wear the new
"Antoinette" 18th century mules, thinking they look oh-so delicate, and not at all practical for anything. To answer the question, let's take a look at some primary source material - depictions of 18th century women wearing this type of shoe. When did they wear it, and how?
Wear them in the boudoir... |
| Francois Boucher, La Toilette, 1742 |
Wear them while crying ... |
| La Mauvaise Nouvelle "bas news," 1740, by Jean-Baptist-Marie Pierre |
Wear them in the kitchen...
 |
| "Svenska: En piga hoser sappa utur en kiettel - i en skal," 1770s?, by Pehr Hillestrom |
Wear them for breakfast...
 |
| Leonard Defrance, "The Breakfast" |
Wear them to wash other people's clothes... |
| "La Blanchisseuse," 1761, Jean-Baptiste Greuze |
Wear them when you're Madame de Pompadour...
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| "Portrait en pied de la marquise de Pompadour," 1748-55, Maurice Quentin de La Tour |
Wear them for a dangerous liaison... |
| "The Boudoir," 1730s, Jean Baptiste Joseph Pater |
Wear them while swinging in your pastoral garden... |
| Jean-Honore Fragonard, "Les hasards heureux de l'escarpolette," 1767-68 |
Wear them while out hunting...
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| "Mr. and Mrs. Robert Andrews," 1748, Thomas Gainsborough |
Sport them for indoor events such as tea and dinner parties, or indoor reenactments. Wear them in states of undress, or with more formal gowns, while relaxing, or while strolling formal gardens. Wear them as a lady, a well-to-do middle class woman, or even a ladies' maid fortunate to receive her mistress' hand-me-downs.
