'List' refers to the tightly woven strip of fabric along the edges of a piece of cloth.

'List shoes' or 'list slippers' made of these strips could be worn for comfort, or in order to move around quietly, or because they were very cheap. I have seen references to list shoes being worn in the Navy by anyone entering the room where gunpowder was stored, to avoid striking sparks from any spilled gunpowder on the floor.

The link below is to a letter from the Correspondence of William Henry Fox Talbot, (scroll down for reference to List Shoes and relevant footnote). He asks for List Shoes with soles made of list rather than leather because they are walking on slippery ground.