ANST - A question about footwear

[EisenKVT at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/4/00 9:44:41 AM Central Standard Time, 
michael.gunter at fnc.fujitsu.com writes:

<< 
 Were these illustrations of Court or of things like a hunt or traveling? I
 would think for proper company no more than an ankle high boot would be
 worn.
  >>

 I would argue that depending on exact time, place, and month, that yes, 
indeed there were boots of verious leg lengths worn in court settings. 
Eastern European gentlemen were depicted in verious art forms wearing boots 
as tall as thigh high down to ankle tall boots while in the presence of kings 
and queens. It is only in England post the year 1580 that there is little 
visual proof of the lack of boots taller than the ankle worn in a public 
settings other than that of traveling or hunting.

 But I argue, why should this be of any account to the matter at hand? Many 
of the accurate representations of foot were to the period persona of the 
individual is of great cost that we cannot all afford. I also feel that if it 
were a choose between the $200 for a pair of shoes that have no gripping 
soul, as they might have been in the true period boot or shoe, and the Del 
tin Blade of the exact time period and style to my persona for the same 
price, any given rapier fighter would obviously pick the sword over the shoe! 
Therefore the ATTEMPT is well adhered to in 95% of all fighters who have to 
make such choices.

  Finally, I would like to point out that what we are enacting as fighters 
with rapiers, who like our period historic counterparts, they, as we will 
wear what shoe or boot allows us the best footing, for our lives and honor is 
at stake, not our appearance. 
 So, if Tinnis Shoes are worn for the footing and not the appearance, then 
the wearer usually has always attempted to hide the fact that they are not 
period, as HRH has admitted herself to doing.

Don Eisen
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