Ladies Shoes 1920s. The T-strap was the most popular shoe style of the roaring twenties, but other shoe styles were also available. Having been hidden in boots and under long dresses for centuries, the foot was now something to be seen. Lace up boots were still being worn by mature women and young children as well as in winter weather. The slip-on pump was a classic option but now had large buckles, a throwback look from the 18th century. For outings requiring heavy walking the Oxford was the favorite shoe style. A low heel canvas or leather Mary Jane was the closest thing to a flat shoe, usually worn at home or for summertime play at the beach. Reference: The Vintage Dancer.
Dance shoes were very popular and usually had curved heels and rounded points. Bathing was a popular pastime and rubber shoes were made especially for this exercise. Below are some examples of shoes from the 1920’s including bathing shoes and dancing shoes.
A rare pair of Phillips’ Silver Wing rubber bathing shoes, English, late 1920s, moulded with maker’s details to the soles, of black rubber with white painted edgings and silver wings to each side, 27cm, 10 1/2in long; together with a pair of wooden shoe trees
Sold for £750 at Kerry Taylor Auctions in 2018
Dancing shoes (pair), womens, satin and patent leather, made for Halley Australia, made in England, 1920-1930 Pair of dancing shoes with rounded point toe and uppers of black satin decorated with an Art Deco, diamond shaped pattern which merges into the T-strap of silver leather. There is a diamente buckle and seventy-four diamentes in vertical and horizontal lines covering the patent leather louis heel. The soles have been made from brown leather while the inside of the shoe has been lined with cream kid. The quarters of the shoe have also been cut away at the sides. The diamente catch on the buckle is missing from the right shoe.
Reference: Museum of Applied Art and Sciences
Pair of woman’s evening shoes of painted gold kid, and lined with grey kid. Labelled ‘Hand made expressly in Belgium for Lilley & Skinner Ltd., London’. Painted with a pattern of multi-coloured sprigs. Rounded toe, button ankle-strap and a medium high heel. Machine-stitched.
This pair of ladies’ evening shoes, in gold kid, is painted and lined with grey kid. It is labelled ‘Hand made expressly in Belgium for Lilley & Skinner Ltd., London’, and painted with a pattern of multi-coloured sprigs. The 1920s produced the most exciting shoes of the century, with tremendous variety in cut, colour and ornamentation. Most shoes were high-heeled, even for dancing, necessitating straps over the instep. Bright colour mixes reached a peak by 1925.
Reference: © Victoria and Albert Museum
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