Traditional Wedding Shoes
Traditional wedding costumes are integral to the celebration of marriage.
Shoes, in particular, have a rich history of being the focus of many auspicious practices. These first steps of a newlywed couple are seen as setting them in the direction of a happy, fruitful, and successful union.
It was the rise of neo-classical fashion in the early 1800s, with its stress on white for all types of women's clothing, which set the stage for the white wedding. By the early 1800s, white had become the predominant color in women's dress and was a very fashionable choice for all women, including brides.
Traditional Hindu marriage celebrations combine intense spiritual symbolism with playful traditions. A Hindu bride in India is prepared for her new life with an abundance of gifts, from household items such as furniture and utensils to new clothes and shoes. Of the many and often extravagant gifts she might receive, ornately worked silver shoes are the epitome of luxury.
In many parts of India, upon arrival the groom is greeted by the mother of the bride. She offers him two small pottery vessels, tied together and containing foods that symbolize fertility. The groom crushes these underfoot, and in doing so initiates the start of the marriage ceremonies. After this, he sets his shoes aside and the parents of the bride wash his feet with milk, curd, ghee, sugar and honey. Their gesture symbolizes respect for the man who will now take care of their daughter.
In some parts of India, the sisters of the bride take this opportunity to steal his shoes. They quickly hide them and only return the shoes when their ransom demands are met. Although it is a playful game, it serves to highlight the sense of loss that accompanies the joyous occasion of a marriage.
In parts of Moravia, in what is now the Czech Republic, it was a popular custom on Christmas Eve for unwed girls to take off one shoe, turn their back to their front door, and toss the shoe at the door. Tradition said that if the shoe landed with its toe pointing to the door, the girl would be married before the next Christmas.
In the region of Slovak, they spent long hours embroidering the outfits that they would wear on their wedding day. One of the features of this costume was a short skirt under which were worn a pair of showy boots with deeply pleated shafts and decoratively embroidered uppers. For the wedding, a gold coin was slipped into the boot as a means of ensuring future prosperity.
At weddings the single people would perform a special dance, both dancing and community identification was facilitated by the style and decoration of the footwear worn to such events.
In parts of Macedonia, it was tradition for the groom to provide a new pair of shoes for his bride. On the day of the wedding, the best man, accompanied by a boisterous group of friends, family and musicians would go to fetch the bride.
Once at the bride's house, the best man would present the new shoes to the bride and place them on her feet. When asked if the shoes fit, the bride would answer no.
The best man would then slip a few gold and silver coins into the shoes and she would try again. Alas, the shoes would still not fit, and more coins would be added. On the third try, the bride would announce that they fit perfectly and would be led to the church by the best man.
Traditionally in Japan, marriages were arranged by the families of the bridal couple. Engagements were sealed with an exchange of gifts. Among the many gifts that a bride might receive could be a pair of double-soled zori.
Unlike everyday zori, these had two soles that were bound together as a symbol of matrimonial harmony. The colors worn by a bride at a traditional Shinto wedding have symbolic meaning. The shoes worn by the bride can be pure white or they can include a hint of color suggesting that a bright future awaits her as a wife.
Traditionally, a Korean bride was said to be an ‚¬"empress for the day.‚¬ Her wedding shoes would be in the traditional Korean canoe-like shape, but, rather than being covered in simple textile, they would be surfaced with luxurious brocaded silk.
Frequently, the silk was figured with tiny blossoms and the color was often red, a color of life and vitality. Like the bride, the groom's social status was also elevated to the status of an official, a social designation that suggested merit rather than privilege.
On his wedding day, he stepped into a pair of boots that befit the official class.
The Berbers are the indigenous people of Morocco.
Traditionally, they lived in the mountainous area of the Atlas Mountains and were famous for their horsemanship and herding. Converted to Islam by the 16th century, Berbers consider marriage to be an essential step in life.
Berbers, brides are not allowed to touch the ground with their feet lest evil spirits enter their bodies. For this reason, many Berber brides are conveyed to their new husbands' homes by donkey and carried into their new abodes, their bridal boots never touching the earth.
Both men and women throughout Islamic Africa wear the babouche. This style of shoe features a flattened back to accommodate the need to take off one's shoes for prayer five times a day in accordance with Islam.
Chinese women of Han ethnicity had their feet bound when they were young girls. When a girl reached marriageable age, a matchmaker would take a pair of her shoes to potential suitors, as the shoes conveyed a great deal of information about the girl's education and social class. Once a match was made, a young bride would make her wedding shoes, as well as other shoes for both herself and the women of her husband's household. Many of these shoes incorporated symbolism that proclaimed the young bride's desire for a happy, fruitful and prosperous marriage.
Shoes, in particular, have a rich history of being the focus of many auspicious practices. These first steps of a newlywed couple are seen as setting them in the direction of a happy, fruitful, and successful union.
It was the rise of neo-classical fashion in the early 1800s, with its stress on white for all types of women's clothing, which set the stage for the white wedding. By the early 1800s, white had become the predominant color in women's dress and was a very fashionable choice for all women, including brides.
Traditional Hindu marriage celebrations combine intense spiritual symbolism with playful traditions. A Hindu bride in India is prepared for her new life with an abundance of gifts, from household items such as furniture and utensils to new clothes and shoes. Of the many and often extravagant gifts she might receive, ornately worked silver shoes are the epitome of luxury.
In many parts of India, upon arrival the groom is greeted by the mother of the bride. She offers him two small pottery vessels, tied together and containing foods that symbolize fertility. The groom crushes these underfoot, and in doing so initiates the start of the marriage ceremonies. After this, he sets his shoes aside and the parents of the bride wash his feet with milk, curd, ghee, sugar and honey. Their gesture symbolizes respect for the man who will now take care of their daughter.
In some parts of India, the sisters of the bride take this opportunity to steal his shoes. They quickly hide them and only return the shoes when their ransom demands are met. Although it is a playful game, it serves to highlight the sense of loss that accompanies the joyous occasion of a marriage.
In parts of Moravia, in what is now the Czech Republic, it was a popular custom on Christmas Eve for unwed girls to take off one shoe, turn their back to their front door, and toss the shoe at the door. Tradition said that if the shoe landed with its toe pointing to the door, the girl would be married before the next Christmas.
In the region of Slovak, they spent long hours embroidering the outfits that they would wear on their wedding day. One of the features of this costume was a short skirt under which were worn a pair of showy boots with deeply pleated shafts and decoratively embroidered uppers. For the wedding, a gold coin was slipped into the boot as a means of ensuring future prosperity.
At weddings the single people would perform a special dance, both dancing and community identification was facilitated by the style and decoration of the footwear worn to such events.
In parts of Macedonia, it was tradition for the groom to provide a new pair of shoes for his bride. On the day of the wedding, the best man, accompanied by a boisterous group of friends, family and musicians would go to fetch the bride.
Once at the bride's house, the best man would present the new shoes to the bride and place them on her feet. When asked if the shoes fit, the bride would answer no.
The best man would then slip a few gold and silver coins into the shoes and she would try again. Alas, the shoes would still not fit, and more coins would be added. On the third try, the bride would announce that they fit perfectly and would be led to the church by the best man.
Traditionally in Japan, marriages were arranged by the families of the bridal couple. Engagements were sealed with an exchange of gifts. Among the many gifts that a bride might receive could be a pair of double-soled zori.
Unlike everyday zori, these had two soles that were bound together as a symbol of matrimonial harmony. The colors worn by a bride at a traditional Shinto wedding have symbolic meaning. The shoes worn by the bride can be pure white or they can include a hint of color suggesting that a bright future awaits her as a wife.
Traditionally, a Korean bride was said to be an ‚¬"empress for the day.‚¬ Her wedding shoes would be in the traditional Korean canoe-like shape, but, rather than being covered in simple textile, they would be surfaced with luxurious brocaded silk.
Frequently, the silk was figured with tiny blossoms and the color was often red, a color of life and vitality. Like the bride, the groom's social status was also elevated to the status of an official, a social designation that suggested merit rather than privilege.
On his wedding day, he stepped into a pair of boots that befit the official class.
The Berbers are the indigenous people of Morocco.
Traditionally, they lived in the mountainous area of the Atlas Mountains and were famous for their horsemanship and herding. Converted to Islam by the 16th century, Berbers consider marriage to be an essential step in life.
Berbers, brides are not allowed to touch the ground with their feet lest evil spirits enter their bodies. For this reason, many Berber brides are conveyed to their new husbands' homes by donkey and carried into their new abodes, their bridal boots never touching the earth.
Both men and women throughout Islamic Africa wear the babouche. This style of shoe features a flattened back to accommodate the need to take off one's shoes for prayer five times a day in accordance with Islam.
Chinese women of Han ethnicity had their feet bound when they were young girls. When a girl reached marriageable age, a matchmaker would take a pair of her shoes to potential suitors, as the shoes conveyed a great deal of information about the girl's education and social class. Once a match was made, a young bride would make her wedding shoes, as well as other shoes for both herself and the women of her husband's household. Many of these shoes incorporated symbolism that proclaimed the young bride's desire for a happy, fruitful and prosperous marriage.
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