A photo from open sources
Being probably one of the most ridiculous fashion trends Middle Ages, bullets are believed to have appeared in Krakow in 1340. This is the opinion of Rebecca Showcross, historian researcher, professor at the Northampton Museum and author a book entitled Illustrated History: Shoes.
With awkward long-nosed shoes, Europe experimented with beginning of the XIII century. At first, it was worn by Lords and somewhat less often – noble ladies; subsequently anyone who could afford shoes, preferred bullets, although aristocrats loved even longer ones, deliberately ridiculous shoes.
A photo from open sources
For the medieval European elite, bullets were primarily symbol of high status. If a person was titled and rich, he I certainly wanted to demonstrate it, even if I went to extremes. Inconvenient long-nosed shoes were expensive and interfered perform any physical work, but testified to the luxury and idleness of the owner.
So that their narrow socks are pulled up and not twisted, shoemakers used as padding soft organic material, for example, whalebone.
Most of the surviving bullets are made of leathers, although various tissue. For example, the elite flaunted in bullets made of velvet, silk, embroidered fabric. These shoes were painted by hand or covered ornate patterns.
A photo from open sources
Rebecca Shawcross says that during the Middle Ages, fashionable tendencies did not change for a very long time and kept for a whole century and even more as culture spread extremely slowly across cities and countries. Until the 18th century, fashion was formed. the top of society, and then slowly seeped lower and lower, spanning one class after another. To reach the rural areas, she it took decades.
Finally, the English crown decided to intervene in the process, since all lengthening socks of bullets caused unequivocal connotations. People thought, says Showcross, that the greater the length sock, the more courageous the owner of the shoe. Some of this subtext is not liked, and the parliament recognized the wearing of such shoes obscene. Adopted in 1463. law forbade shoemakers to sew long-nosed shoes.
By 1475 the bullets, according to Rebecca Showcross, have disappeared. Under the king Henry VIII was replaced by a broad, with square toes footwear. By the way, soon a law was passed in England that limited, and quite rigidly, the width of such massive the shoe.
