Shoes through the Ages
Fashion is an ever-changing world blending the new and the old, the outrageous and the conservative, the conventional and the avant-garde. There are a multitude of elements that define a decade, and, often times, shoes are identifiable with the era that they were popular. At the same time, each decade’s shoe fashion is frequently influenced by the decades that came before it. Shoebuy.com has shoes inspired by the different decades of the Twenty-First Century:
Shoes of the 1920s:
The 1920s was the time of the flappers, with their short hair and shapeless dresses. The popular shoe fashion of the era, so often born out of necessity, was inspired by the Charleston, a dance which required a more secure-fitting shoe. This generated a Mary-Jane style bar shoe with a low heel, closed toe, and strapped closure.
Shoes of the 1930s:
The 1930s brought on wavy-fingered hair, gloves, and hats, as well as more conservative fashion trends, in contrast to those of the previous decade. Two-tone brogues, often worn by Fred Astaire, were the signature style in men’s footwear, defined by their punched wingtips and derby lacing.
Shoes of the 1940s:
This decade, most remembered as that of World War II, saw many restrictions, even on heights of heels and the use of leather, which caused the common use of cork and wooden soles, reptile skin, and mesh. For men’s fashion, sporty saddle shoes were all the rage.
Shoes of the 1950s:
The 1950s saw the ideal of the perfect family, centered around the perfect mother, looking gorgeous in her solid colored pumps that matched her outfit perfectly while she cooked, cleaned, and took care of the children.
During these days of hula hoops and rock ‘n’ roll, men’s fashion consisted of oxfords, bucks, and of course the classic penny loafers, which got their name when people began putting pennies in the diamond-shaped slits on the shoe.
Shoes of the 1960s:
The 1960s was the era of mod, mini-skirts and of course, go-go boots. Nancy Sinatra’s song “These Boots Were Made for Walking,” in 1966 caused an explosion of this fashion trend.
During the 60s, at the beginning of Beatle-mania, these Chelsea boots, made popular by the pop icons of the time – The Beatles, swept the nation in men’s fashion and are still sometimes referred to as “Beatle boots.”
Shoes of the 1970s:
The decade of disco and “Saturday Night Fever” had a very distinct style consisting of feathered hair, bell bottoms, and most importantly, platform shoes. Some of the most memorable wearers of this quintessential 70s trend were David Bowie, Cher and Elton John.
Shoes of the 1980s:
Fluorescent colors, acid-wash jeans, and leg warmers were the fundamental elements of 80s fashion. This twist on the sweater boot is reminiscent of the aerobics-inspired leg warmer.
In the early 1980s, if a kid wanted to feel a little bit rebellious, all he needed was a t-shirt, jeans, leather jacket, and a pair of chucks. These Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers are classic 80s footwear.
Shoes of the 1990s:
Along with baggy pants, the grunge look, and boy bands, clunky shoes were “in” during the 90s, and these Dr. Martens boots were often worn during this decade, seen as the epitome of a clunky shoe.
These canvas top Keds sneakers took the 90s by storm, and came in a myriad of colors and patterns. This 90s style was often paired with tapered jeans or leggings with a short dress.
