Footwear for Winter

[Fleur De Guerre]

OMG! Those are even nicer! Darn the exchange rate!

 

[Laura Chase]

OMG! Those are even nicer! Darn the exchange rate!

Yeah, the pound exch. rate is pretty awful right now, but I think it'll be going up soon.

texasgirl, those are awesome too! Oooh! I like that heel better than the one on the Office ones.

 

[texasgirl]

Here's an interesting illustration of the silhouettes of boots through the years from the Fashion Accessories: The Complete 20th Century Sourcebook- which is a fantastic book to complete any look

http://www.amazon.com/Fashion-Acces...d_bbs_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227207386&sr=8-4

 

[Laura Chase]

Excellent illustration! The heel of the Office ones reaches back even further, to the 18th century curvaceous Louis heels, which makes the expression somewhat confused, but still cute.

 

[ScotchWhisky]

Early on in this thread, someone brought up overshoes, and I recently found a company that launched a line of boots similar to the overshoes people used to wear: http://www.shuella.com/

Sadly, like everything else, they don't come in my size. I'm a 4/34.

 

[Laura Chase]

While those are the nicest modern galoshes I've seen, they just aren't quite as elegant as the golden era ones.

 

[Redhead]

While those are the nicest modern galoshes I've seen, they just aren't quite as elegant as the golden era ones.

Here are some images of an original c. 1940 pair of galoshes:

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t291/Chandra_Miller/d0222d6d.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t291/Chandra_Miller/2f9bdee4.jpg

Regards,
Chandra

 

[Brooksie]

I found the coolest boots yesterday at a buy sell and trade clothing store here in Portland. They look to be from the 1940's (they were not very expensive at all and I did a trade for them so it was even better). They are a women's boot but they have the look of the Alden boots that Indiana (oops I forgot the a' earlier) Jone's wears with a low rubber sole, they are a very hard leather and are a dark cream/very light tan color with the faux fur top (the faux fur is wine colored), they are a couple inches over the ankle and they lace up with eye lets not hook and eyes. I hope all of this all makes scense and I wish I had a camera because I would love confirmation on the dating of them. However I am pretty positive they are 40's.

Brooksie

 

[ScotchWhisky]

While those are the nicest modern galoshes I've seen, they just aren't quite as elegant as the golden era ones.

I agree, but I figured that someone might still be interested. I like that they fold up and can just be wiped clean, and I would definitely buy them if they made them small enough for me.

 

[Sunny]

Perfectionism Rears Its Head

I'm confused. When you people are talking about boots, are you talking about boots worn like shoes, or boots worn over shoes for inclement weather? The very interesting picture texasgirl posted shoes what I mean.

I thought that the 1940 and 1950 illustrated styles are overshoes. They're mixed with with quantities of boots-as-shoes, though, and that's confusing me.

I have never seen true vintage boots-as-shoes from the 1940s or anywhere around, except for riding and hiking boots. I've seen plenty of what I assumed were overshoes, whether rubber for rain, fur-trimmed for warmth, or both. Overshoes cannot be worn without regular shoes; they're too big, and the hollow heel is impossible to walk on. Am I wrong? Are some of those overshoes and galoshes I've seen meant to be worn all day? I thought they would've been removed when the wearer got to the office or wherever.

Maybe this is a non-issue for most of you, but I'm just puzzled!

 

[BeBopBaby]

I have never seen true vintage boots-as-shoes from the 1940s or anywhere around, except for riding and hiking boots. I've seen plenty of what I assumed were overshoes, whether rubber for rain, fur-trimmed for warmth, or both. Overshoes cannot be worn without regular shoes; they're too big, and the hollow heel is impossible to walk on. Am I wrong? Are some of those overshoes and galoshes I've seen meant to be worn all day? I thought they would've been removed when the wearer got to the office or wherever.

To add to the confusion - I had a vintage pair of fur-trimmed 40s boots that had little inserts that you could put into the hollow heel so you could wear them as overshoes or as boots. I pulled them out of a trash can from an elderly person's house that was being cleaned out years ago, they were too small for me so I sold them.

 

[texasgirl]

Sorry to add to any confusion!!! I think maybe it's more the silhouette to give you an idea of the shapes to look for? I think this book is for creating costumes or how to "get the look" kind of thing. The whole book is illustrations. So maybe the author was just saying- to get the 40s look, boots in that shape would be good. But maybe the actual vintage ones are just over-shoe type boots? But the boots epr25 posted don't look like over shoes to me. I don't really know? I focus more on 30s. I do have an old LL Bean catalog too that has more hiking type boots.

 

[Sunny]

Sorry, texasgirl, I didn't mean to pick on you! I agree about the purpose of that picture; it's great for getting an idea of shapes. The differences in early 20th-century shapes is really interesting. It just literally illustrated the confusion I was getting from the whole thread. I agree that the boots epr25 posted look like real boots-as-shoes.

Perhaps they're really meant to be worn during the daytime, as out-and-about type shoes. They're almost shoes and not boots at all, since the vamp is so low; I'd like to see another pair that's higher cut.

To add to the confusion - I had a vintage pair of fur-trimmed 40s boots that had little inserts that you could put into the hollow heel so you could wear them as overshoes or as boots. I pulled them out of a trash can from an elderly person's house that was being cleaned out years ago, they were too small for me so I sold them.

That is great to know! I'm still a little curious about how it'd work, since overshoes would be too big for the feet without shoes. Maybe they would be worn with soft slippers. Cozy!

 

[LizzieMaine]

Sorry, texasgirl, I didn't mean to pick on you! I agree about the purpose of that picture; it's great for getting an idea of shapes. The differences in early 20th-century shapes is really interesting. It just literally illustrated the confusion I was getting from the whole thread. I agree that the boots epr25 posted look like real boots-as-shoes.

Perhaps they're really meant to be worn during the daytime, as out-and-about type shoes. They're almost shoes and not boots at all, since the vamp is so low; I'd like to see another pair that's higher cut.


That is great to know! I'm still a little curious about how it'd work, since overshoes would be too big for the feet without shoes. Maybe they would be worn with soft slippers. Cozy!

I'm curious about epr25's boots too -- if they aren't overshoes, I don't think I've ever seen anything like them. There are lots of styles of women's work, chore, and riding boots from the 30s and 40s, but I don't think I've ever seen a dress pair dating to the era that wasn't intended to be worn over regular street shoes. Maybe they were a custom item designed to be worn with a fur-trimmed dress? In any event, they're quite beautiful.

As far as the insert inside the overshoe heel goes, was it a solid piece, or a plastic shell? Reason I ask that is you'll sometimes find a plastic liner inside the heel of overshoes dating to the 50s and 60s -- it was intended as protection against stiletto heels, which would cut thru the rubber and ruin the overshoe in just one wearing without some sort of protection.

 

[ShrinkingViolet]

These are my 1940s winter boots. They're about half a size too small. I know, don't say anything, I'm heartbroken.

I've put them up on Etsy. If anyone wants to know the details please PM me (I don't know if it's correct to post usernames here?). They're about a US 8-8.5.

 

[Laura Chase]

OMG... Such a shame. And I can't fit them either. Chop off a toe?

 

[Aurora]

ShrinkingViolet - I love those boots, they look so snug - I had a look (like I'm everyone is doing right now), and they're not my size either!

My lovely bootees, 1940's (?), Lightning zip, but cracked soles (Going to get them repaired when I've saved up enough money)

How come repro companies don't make boots? Ooh, just given myself an idea there!

 

[divaabsoluta]

Thought I´d join the conversation and show my own "about-the town" boots, meaning I have another pair walking in the woods with my dog Winter boots.jpg

 

[divaabsoluta]

I thought I knew how to add a photo...

 

[Miss Neecerie]

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=23495


should help you out.