USGeneralneutralcultural
- A pair of red shoes famously worn by Dorothy in the film The Wizard of Oz (1939), depicted as magical footwear that can transport the wearer home.
USGeneralfigurativecolloquial
- A metaphorical object or means that guarantees a return, safety, rescue, or fulfillment of a wish; an iconic or treasured item believed to confer power or protection.
USGeneralculturalliterary
- A symbol of popular-culture nostalgia and transformation, often invoked to denote a clear route to desired change or escape.