It is the most famous pair of socks in cinematic history. Seriously. Think about it. You’ve got the house, the swirl of the cyclone, and then—thud. Out from under the porch of a farmhouse in Munchkinland peek two shriveled, striped limbs. The wicked witch of the east feet became an instant icon of 1930s technicolor filmmaking, but the story behind those curling toes and the shoes they wore is actually a lot more complicated than what we see on screen for ten seconds.
Most people just remember the sparkle. They remember the ruby red. But if you look closer at that scene in the 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer classic The Wizard of Oz, there is a weird, almost grotesque realism to how those feet are presented. They aren't just "there." They are curling. They are receding. They are literally vanishing before our eyes in a way that traumatized a generation of kids.
Honestly, the feet are the only part of this character we ever see. The Witch of the East is the only major antagonist in the Oz mythos who dies before she even gets a line of dialogue. She is defined entirely by her extremities and her footwear.
The Practical Magic of the Curling Toes
Ever wonder how they actually made the wicked witch of the east feet shrivel up? It wasn't CGI. Obviously. This was 1939.
The special effects team, led by Arnold Gillespie, had to get creative. To achieve that specific, "drying leaf" effect as the feet disappear under the house, they used a relatively simple mechanical rig. They built prosthetic legs filled with a series of wires and pulleys. As the stagehands pulled the wires from inside the house structure, the legs would collapse inward and the toes would curl upward. It’s a bit of practical puppetry that holds up remarkably well even in the 4K restorations we have today.
Interestingly, the stockings were a choice. The black-and-white rings. They became a visual shorthand for "witch" that survived through decades of pop culture. You see those stockings on Halloween decorations at every Target in America. They weren't in the original L. Frank Baum book illustrations in the same way, but the movie solidified them.
The feet had to look "dead." That sounds dark, but it’s true. The makeup department used a sallow, grayish tint on the skin of the prosthetics to contrast with the vibrant red of the shoes. They wanted the audience to feel the weight of the house. It wasn't a cartoon death; it was a physical crushing.
Silver vs. Ruby: The Shoe Debate
We can't talk about the wicked witch of the east feet without talking about the shoes themselves. This is where the lore gets messy.
If you are a book purist, you know the shoes were silver. In L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Witch of the East wore Silver Shoes. They were powerful, sure, but they weren't red.
So why the change?
- Technicolor. That’s the short answer.
- Screenwriter Noel Langley and the production team realized that silver looked a bit dull against the yellow brick road.
- They needed something that popped.
- Ruby was the answer.
They used a basic pump and covered it in red silk, then layered about 2,300 sequins on each shoe. But here is a fun fact: those weren't real rubies. Obviously. They were glass beads. And because the sequins were so heavy, they actually had to make multiple versions of the shoes for Judy Garland to wear, including "felt-soled" versions so she wouldn't make too much noise during the dance sequences.
The feet we see under the house are actually wearing a slightly different version of the shoe than the ones Dorothy wears. If you pause the film and look at the wicked witch of the east feet right before they shrivel, the shoes look stiff. They had to be rigid to stay on the prosthetic legs while the wires pulled them back.
What Wicked Got Right (and Wrong)
Then came Gregory Maguire. And then came the Broadway musical.
In the Wicked universe, the Witch of the East is Nessarose. She isn't just a random obstacle for a house to land on. She’s Elphaba’s sister. She has a disability. In the stage play, the shoes are a gift from their father, and Elphaba eventually enchants them so Nessarose can walk.
This adds a layer of tragedy to the wicked witch of the east feet. Suddenly, the feet aren't just a sight gag or a plot point. They represent a character's struggle for autonomy. When the house drops, it isn't just killing a villain; it’s stripping a woman of her hard-won mobility.
It’s kind of wild how a pair of feet sticking out from under a house can carry that much thematic weight. In the musical, the "curling" isn't as emphasized as it is in the 1939 film, mostly because stage magic has different limitations than film magic. But the visual of the shoes remains the focal point.
Why the "Shrivel" Scene Still Creeps Us Out
There is a psychological element to why we are obsessed with those feet. It’s the "Uncanny Valley."
The way the feet recede under the house is unnatural. Human limbs don't move like that. It mimics the way an insect’s legs curl up when it dies. By using that specific movement, the filmmakers signaled to our brains that this creature—this witch—was something other than human.
Also, consider the timing.
- Dorothy lands.
- The Munchkins emerge.
- Glinda arrives.
- Then, and only then, do the feet shrivel.
It's almost as if the Witch of the East was holding on, trying to keep her grip on the world of the living, until the presence of "good" magic (Glinda) forced her to let go. Once the shoes are transferred to Dorothy, the feet have no reason to exist anymore. They are a vessel that has been emptied.
The Collector’s Obsession
If you think the feet are just a movie prop, talk to an auctioneer.
The "Ruby Slippers" are among the most valuable pieces of film memorabilia in existence. One pair is in the Smithsonian. Another was stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and stayed missing for 13 years before the FBI recovered them.
But people also hunt for the "feet" themselves. While the original prosthetic legs from 1939 likely deteriorated—latex and foam from that era didn't have a long shelf life—reproductions of the wicked witch of the east feet are a massive business in the haunt and collectibles industry.
You can buy life-size versions for your flower bed. People put them under their garage doors during October. Why? Because the image is instantly recognizable. It’s a cultural shorthand for "an unexpected disaster happened here."
Beyond the 1939 Film
Other versions of the story handle the feet differently.
In The Wiz, the shoes are "Silver Slippers" (staying true to the book) but with a 1970s flair. In Disney’s Oz the Great and Powerful (2013), we see the origin of the sisters, but the "death by house" is still the inevitable conclusion we're all waiting for.
Every director has to decide: how do we show the feet? Do we make it funny? Do we make it scary?
The 1939 version chose "scary-adjacent." It’s just long enough to be uncomfortable but short enough to keep the movie moving.
Key Takeaways for Oz Enthusiasts
If you're looking to recreate the look or just want to be the smartest person in the room at your next trivia night, keep these specific details in mind.
First, the stockings weren't just "striped." They were specifically black and white, creating a high-contrast visual that worked perfectly for early Technicolor's "saturated" look. If they had used colors like purple or green, they might have bled into the background of the Munchkinland set.
Second, the shoes are almost always depicted with a slight heel. This wasn't just for fashion. The heel allowed the "curling" mechanism in the prosthetic to have a pivot point.
Lastly, understand the legalities. The specific design of the "Ruby Slippers" and the striped stockings as seen in the movie is owned by Warner Bros. (who acquired the MGM library). That’s why you’ll see "generic" witch feet in some places and the "official" ones in others.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Creators
- For Cosplayers: If you are going for the "East" look, focus on the rigidity of the shoes. They shouldn't look like comfortable flats; they should look like stiff, enchanted artifacts. Use a 2.5-inch heel for accuracy.
- For Prop Builders: To get the "curling" effect, use a soft silicone for the feet and a cable-pull system attached to the toes. Avoid stiff plastics.
- For Trivia Hosts: Always clarify the shoe color. Silver in the books, Ruby in the 1939 film. It's the ultimate "gotcha" question.
- For Film Students: Study the 1939 transition. It’s one of the best examples of using high-contrast color (the shoes) to distract the audience from a mechanical effect (the shrinking legs).
The wicked witch of the east feet will likely remain the most famous feet in cinema because they represent the moment Dorothy’s world changed forever. One minute you're in Kansas, and the next, you're looking at a pair of striped stockings under your kitchen floor. That’s a vibe that never gets old.