Women's Shoes in the Twentieth Century

                                                     Women’s Shoes in the Twentieth Century 

Out of all the clothing necessities needed for a women, I can honestly say shoes are one my favorites. Whenever I go shoe shopping, I want to find a pair of shoes that scream “no one will have these! You can pull them off.” Shoes are worth investing in and can make or break an outfit as shoes also provide a focal point to a look. Shoes are an accessory that is a necessity (Erlanger 103). Not only do I love shoes from the twentieth-first century, but I also love vintage shoes. I do not own many vintage shoes, however I do own a pair of yellow gogo boots I like to bring out every once and a while. Even though I do not own any vintage shoes, I still love the look and made of shoes from the twentieth century. During the twentieth century, the style of shoes changed significantly as society was changing their opinion on what was considered the hot trend and what was out of style. 

Restricted Access on Shoes

I feel the 1940s is a good place to start with shoes because I feel the best design of shoes were created in the 40s all the way through the 70s. In the 1940s, factory workers' primary focus was to make the needed materials to support World War II. Anything else that was not considered a necessity for war was postponed until the war was over. Due to the high demand for war materials, shoes were difficult to come by. Leather shoes were a rarity, and the shoe companies only made six colors of leather shoes a year (Morgan). The United States put a limit on buying shoes as “every man, woman, and child were permitted to buy up to three pairs of leather shoes each year” (Morgan). Families that could not afford expensive or brand new shoes looked at second-hand shoes stores since this was the next best thing. After learning about how the war affected shoes and the necessity of them for families, it really brought into perspective that literally everything is affected by war. Before knowing these facts, I had thought there were still factories at the time who made shoes and clothing for women and children because these were an important item to have all the time. 

                                              

Dancer. “1940s Shoe Style for Women History.” Vintage Dancer

A Whole New World on Shoes

When the war ended in 1945, companies could focus productions on clothing instead of war materials, and shoes experienced a resurgence. In 1947, Dior produced the “New Look” collection that phased out wartime platform heels and created a new style of high heeled pump to make women look softer and more feminine (Walford). Post-war America went to explore new shoe styles. In 1957, the pointed shoe emerged and created the classic stiletto show (Walford). The winklepicker was designed in the mid 1950s as an evening or going-out shoe. Similar to a regular stiletto, this shoe had an extremely pointed toe and a thin high heel (Vintage Dancer). Ankle straps were the next design and, in 1954 the Lucile Ball ankle strap shoe became a hot trend. The ankle strap shoe was mostly worn by pinup girls. In the late 1950s, every woman started to wear this shoe, but only if the heel were skinny. 

                                               

Vintage Dancer. “1950s Shoe Style: Heels, Flats, Sandals, Saddle Shoes.” Vintage Dancer.

The women who wore the up-to-date shoes were considered higher class because they were able to buy and keep up with the trends. Women could flaunt their money by wearing shoes that were released that day. Just like any accessory or piece of clothing, new trends were coming out and the older trends were fading away. Many shoe companies today have tried to replicate shoes from the 40s and the 50s. I remember fall of 2018, Forever 21 launched a 1970s themed clothing line with all kinds of accessories and clothing to look like it all came from years before. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely bought some shoes and pants from that collection because I am a sucker for clothes that look retro, but it surprises me how companies will recreate the same trends again but with different materials. In the 1940s and 1950s, many designers were creating new looks of shoes for women all over the world, but today, many designers use the same look but have different colors or fabrics to make the shoes a touch different. Many women still wear these types of shoes today as many are still popular for all ages and all events. 

Erlanger, Micaela. How to Accessorize A Perfect Finish to Every Outfit. Clarkson Potter 

Publishers, 2018.

Morgan , Stuart. Changes in Women's Footwear – Part 3: 1940 to 1949, May 2018, 

www.satra.com/bulletin/article.php?id=2080.

Walford, Jonathan. “Shoes: The Sole Provider.” Vintage Fashion Guild, 20 Aug. 2013, 

vintagefashionguild.org/fashion-history/shoes-the-sole-provider/. 

“1950s Shoe Styles- History and Shopping Guide.” Vintage Dancer, 

https://vintagedancer.com/1950s/1950s-womens-shoes-style/.