Chopine

This garb-related article is a stub. You can help AmtWiki by expanding it.

A pair of chopines on display at Museo Correr in Venice.

Chopines are a women's platform shoe that were popular in Renaissance Italy and Spain between the 15th and 17th centuries. Originally designed as protective footwear, they were typically made of cork or wood, occasionally adorned with various metals, fabrics and jewels (most notably in Spanish-style chopines), and often served as a status symbol dependent on the height of the platform.

In 1430, as part of Venetian law, a restriction on chopine height was put into place, setting their legal height to three inches - a law which would be widely disregarded by the general public.

An illustration of a Venetian bride boosted by the height of chopines, from Habiti delle Donne Venetiane (c. 1591-1610).