My pretty patent chopines

I had a very bad beginning to my Easter, so instead of chocolate, I rewarded myself with this pair of modern-day chopines by Zoe Wittner.

Chopine, possibly 1740s, Venetian, Silk cut velvet with gilt-metal lace trim and linen lining, silk satin ribbon, metallic woven trim, metal nails, wood, and leather. Ph: © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.Nothing better to cheer me up than French toast with bacon and maple syrup in the company of a good friend, followed by a little browse (and purchase) in the Wittner factory outlet in East Richmond.

Made from deliciously soft and shiny leather, these little beauties are precariously high… which makes them perfect for me. It’s only flat shoes that give me blisters. As the leather wraps high on the instep – almost up to the ankle – they are quite supportive, but they look best with shorter length skirts or pants. I was wearing my pink velvet flares when I tried these on, and had to roll up the pant legs to my knees as I did the catwalk for my friend (and looked very fetching as you might imagine). That’s called buying shoes on faith!

…these little beauties are precariously high… which makes them perfect for me.

Turkish Woman with Slave, late 18th century Jean-Etienne Liotard © Musée d'art et d'histoire, Ville de GenèveI have not yet stomped them through the dirty streets and christened them like their antecedents, but I do love the chopine-style platforms. Chopines were originally worn to protect the shoes and dress from the dirty street; later they came to symbolise rank and wealth. The higher they were (and some rose to 20 inches), the more important was the wearer. Mine however are pure decoration, and certainly not so high as to inhibit my usual speedy gait.

Geta-inspired shoes, Alexander McQueen, 2007.Although today’s haute couture designers delight in shocking the press with extravagances of fashion, (see Alexander McQueen’s examples from 2006) there would be few women so determined to display their wealth and status they would be willing to risk life and limb. Leave that to the suckers – excuse me, models – on the catwalk.

Much simpler to wear a Cartier panthère brooch.