Bucket Top Boots

 Greetings

One of the problems I had to solve for my costume in the 2019 Worldcon set was what to do about footwear.

I have a pair of Cromwellian riding boots and, indeed, had worn them with my Three Moosketeers costume , but I still felt that a Seventeenth Century opera costume should have bucket-top boots.

I could have borrowed Teddy's bucket-tops, but, unfortunately, they are a light tan colour, so would not go with the black-themed costume.

I decided to try a different approach.

I had a pair of black Seventeenth Century shoes. Perhaps I could find a way to turn them into temporary boots.

I therefore bought a pair of black leather boot butterflies and looked out a boot hose pattern I had bought when I was briefly a member of the Sealed Knot.

I then made a pair of boot hose in leather, with a front and back flap shape that would sit over the tongue and lace of the shoes (a sort of  closed leather spatterdash). The butterflies would be buckled over the joint to on disguise it.

I tried my idea out and it seemed to work.

I then made a set of truncated cotton boothose and edged them in lace.

This also worked, as can be seen ( one more time!) in the finished costume ( photo by Andy Trembley- used with consent)

Until next time

Adieu