The Wizard of Oz: Emerald Shoe Color in the Original Book

The iconic pair of ruby slippers that Dorothy wears in "The Wizard of Oz" is a beloved symbol of the classic film, beloved for its dazzling red hue and its magical properties. But those who have read L. Frank Baum's original book series, from which the movie is adapted, might be surprised to learn that the shoes were not always red. In the original novel, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," published in 1900, the shoes that Dorothy takes from the Wicked Witch of the East are, in fact, silver.

This color change from silver to ruby is one of the many creative liberties that the 1939 film took when adapting Baum's story. The switch was made primarily for visual effect, as the film was one of the first to use the Technicolor process, and the producers wanted something that would really pop on screen. But the change also served a deeper purpose, reflecting the evolving cultural landscape of America in the 1930s.

The Silver Slippers in the Book

The silver slippers in Baum's book hold the same magical properties as the film's ruby ones - they grant the wearer the ability to return to Kansas with just a click of the heels. However, their lesser-known color might be attributed to Baum's intention to create a story that was both fantastical and familiar to his audience, many of whom were children.

In the late 19th century, when Baum's story was first published, silver was not only a more realistic color for a pair of shoes but also a symbol of 급 sauvages, tarnish-free newness. This would have resonated with Baum's audience, who would have been seeking escapism in a world on the brink of modern industrialization.

The Silver Shoes in the Early Stage Productions

Before the famous 1939 film, stage adaptions of Baum's novels had been performed as early as 1902. These stage productions stayed faithful to the original color, with Dorothy's shoes depicted in silver. In these early shows, the silver shoes would likely have been crafted from metal or covered in metallic fabric to capture the audience's attention.

The silver shoes remained in the 1925silent film adaptation as well, highlighting the story's visual simplicity and adherence to the book. The stage versions did not have the luxury of rich, vibrant colors, and so silver was a practical and fitting choice for the shoes' depiction.

Baum's Later Works: A Shift Towards Colour

Baum himself seemed to be influenced by the moving picture industry's growing emphasis on color, as he began to depict Dorothy's shoes as being "made of silver, and had golden buckles." This change appeared in later books of the Oz series, most notably in " Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz" (1908), indicating a possible shift in Baum's perceptions of what childhood wonder and magic looked like.

Though Baum never returned to the storybook silver shoes for Dorothy, his shift demonstrates the cultural evolution in the perception of magic and fantasy, one that paves the way for the dazzling Technicolor shoes in the 1939 film.

The Ruby Slippers in the 1939 Film

The decision to change the shoes' color to ruby was more than just an aesthetic choice. The shift aligned with the cultural zeitgeist of the 1930s, a decade marked by the Great Depression. The ruby slippers represented a beacon of hope and prosperity amidst economic doom.

Red, as a warm, vibrant color, was also believed to evoke strong emotions and encourage a desire for change - qualities that resonated with the era's thirst for unity and recovery. The ruby slippers, in their resplendent Technicolor glory, embodied these values, making the color change a powerful, if subtle, reflection of the time.

The Creation of the Ruby Slippers

The film's costume designer, Adrian, worked with the edges of his studio's capabilities to create the iconic ruby slippers. The shoes were made of rejected dress rehearsal shoes dyed red, with all-over bugle beads, sequins, and glass crystals hand-sewn onto the leather. The result was a pair of shoes that radiated magic and luxury, and would become one of the most recognizable fashion items in cinema history.

The ruby shoes, as a visual culmination of art and culture, embodied their own magic - not just the convenient transportation variety, but a cinematic enchantment that allowed them to transcend the boundaries of the screen and enter the collective imagination.

The Legacy of the Ruby Slippers

The ruby slippers have since become an indelible part of "The Wizard of Oz" mythology, with the pair worn by Judy Garland bearing a permanent museum home at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The silver shoes of the book have become a quaint footnote, overshadowed by their ruby successors.

The silver shoes, however, have their merit in Baum's original vision, where their color mirrored a world that was both wondrous and familiar. Both versions, silver and ruby, encapsulate aspects of Baum's story and set the stage for its enduring legacy.

Today, the debate about the "correct" color of Dorothy's shoes rages on among fans and scholars alike, each iteration bearing a unique facet of the Oz tale. Ultimately, the shoes' color is less important than the magic they represent and the journey they take us on, leaving eternal pop culture mark in their wake.