Woman's boots c. 1920s

Curator: Here we have "Woman's Boots" dating back to the 1920s, currently residing here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Editor: Wow, they’re strikingly…red! A very intense shade, they command attention. I imagine they're crafted from dyed leather. Curator: Precisely. These boots offer a glimpse into the fashion and textile design of the era, and leather footwear like this signals a certain class status of the wearer. The boldness challenges assumptions around the quiet reserve expected of women during the early twentieth century. How do you read the symbol of footwear like this? Editor: Red leather... Historically, red has often been linked with passion, defiance, but also danger. Perhaps they represented an expression of daring for the woman who wore them, maybe reflecting burgeoning freedoms and changing societal expectations in that era after the First World War. They speak of cultural memory linked with vibrancy, with standing out. Curator: Absolutely. Considering women's evolving roles post-WWI, the red could symbolize women's entrance into previously male-dominated spaces and spheres of influence, an asserting presence. The heel is significant; it signifies a desire for elevation, literally and figuratively. Editor: That's interesting – the heel as aspiration. They also conjure up fairy-tale imagery, red shoes having such potent symbolic weight from stories across cultures. I wonder if the wearer would have been aware of those associations... perhaps tapping into that unconscious narrative? Curator: It is possible. Footwear serves both functional and expressive purposes, and is therefore a key place to study shifts in identity politics through objects, especially in the context of evolving fashion. The colour especially suggests agency, making a statement. Editor: These boots aren't merely footwear, are they? They speak of shifting norms and unconscious ties. The past literally worn, walked in... It truly shows us the intersection of material culture and how it shapes lived experiences and, consequently, memories and long-standing symbolism. Curator: Agreed. "Woman's Boots" becomes more than an object; it's a testament to changing gendered expectations in the roaring twenties.