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MAGICK BRIDAL SLIPPERS
After
the vows, hymns and presentations, the princess bride—in handcrafted silk
duchess satin slippers with 542 hand-knotted mother-of-pearl sequins, low
fluted heels, decoratively hand-carved suede soles, and a lace- and
pearl-trimmed heart at the toe—stepped out into a sun-lit, adoring world.
Lady
Diana Spencer’s bridal gown designers, Elizabeth and David Emanuel, chose
London shoe designer Clive Shilton to create her fairy-tale wedding
slippers—completely handmade in the English tradition of royal brides with
silks custom dyed to match the dress.
Indeed,
shoes and feet have an ancient and
mystical lineage in the history of weddings. Shoe historian Cameron Kippen
writes: “Mythology and folklore of many cultures link the foot and sex
together.” Consequently, since numerous wedding rituals are based on symbols of
fertility, shoes appear often! “Throwing shoes after someone setting out on a
journey was long thought to bring good fortune, so throwing a shoe at the
bridal couple—with procreation such an important part of that union—was taken
to wish them a fulfilling life together,” the historian continued. The later custom of tying old shoes to the
bridal carriage or car may be a variation on this onetime good-luck practice.
“In
accounts of wedding customs throughout ancient times,” Kippen declares, “it was
widely considered lucky to wear something borrowed. A common belief was that the
bride would enjoy the same luck as the previous owner if the shoes of another
happy bride were worn.” (And the good-luck superstitions extended to the groom
by wearing old boots loaned to him for his wedding.)
There’s
a heritage of shoe rituals found in cultures around the world: “The ancient
Inca Indians of Peru were not considered married until they exchanged sandals.
In Northern Italy, the old custom was to have everyone try on the bride’s shoe,
just like Cinderella. In Hungary, the groom drank to his bride out of her
wedding slipper. In Finland, the married couple was accompanied to the bridal
suite by the whole family; the mother would not let the groom go to his bride
until he had given her a pair of shoes. In China, the bride tossed her red
shoes from the rooftop to ensure happiness for the couple.”
Many
of today’s stylish brides put as much attention on the selection of their shoes
as they do on finding the perfect gown. Perhaps it’s not simply to satisfy
their fashionable palate, but also to follow some divination of ancient rituals
promising good fortune—including dreams of being a princess! ~
[This summer marks
the 20th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death. My book, The End of the Fairy-Tale Bride: For Betteror Worse, How Princess Diana Rescued the Great White Wedding, is quoted in various
worldwide commemorative publications honoring the princess.]
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| Princess Diana's wedding slippers preserved at Kensington Palace |
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