The dazzling 50s brought an end to the clothing and accessories that continued as aftereffects of the war years. It brought a splash of colour and vibrancy in fashion and clothing. With so much focus given to 1950s fashion, shoes became a center of attention. Better techniques, constructions were used during the fifties to make sure that shoes have a better fit and are more comfortable to wear, at the same time making them sitter and lightweight.
During the 1950s, women saw an astonishing rise in the popularity of the stiletto heels. Designers tried to manufacture the skinniest of heels possible. Women loved how the sandals made them look taller, but these high heeled shoes weren’t much. Designers manufactured more of casual shoes that women could wear for their daily needs. They emphasized more on flats, pumps, loafers, and wedgies. Mostly brown and black coloured shoes were worn during the daytime. As time progressed, shoes became more perfect and were matched perfectly with women’s attire to give them a completely synched look.
There were a plethora of shoe styles that women wore during the 1950s. We have given a detailed account of each of the footwear styles. Let’s have a look.
1950s sandals
Compared to the peep toe sandals of the previous decade, the sandals of the 1950s were more attractive. Sandals were thin-strapped and exposed one’s toes completely. They had thin heels. The style might have been fragile, but ensured that women’s feet never slip out of the shoes. There were various varieties of sandals found, for example, the rubber sole flip flop. These were popular during the 1960s as well.
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1950s Ballet flats
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Flatties were another popular style during the 1950s. Women paired them with pants when stepping out if their house to attend casual gatherings. Ballet flats came with small heels of 1/2 inches, but often had no heels at all. Mostly, these sandals were available in shades of black.
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1956 Flats
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Capezio was the best-known brand that produced flatties. These were mostly afforded by the aristocratic women. They featured no heels and had very low profile sides. Also, they had a deep cut on the toes, to expose the toe cleavage. Not only that, but they also featured sharp toe tips.
1957 Saddle Shoes
Saddle shoes were worn by housewives mostly. Often teenagers were also found to be wearing them. Women paired then with poodle skirts. These were white-coloured oxford shoes, worn with white or bobby socks. The saddle shoes could be cleaned and washed. Women had to take immense care of them because they were mostly white shaded and bought new ones when the noticed signs of wear.
1950s Loafers
The most simple, casual footwear for women during the decade was loafers. Moccasins are a category of loafers that were a staple in women’s and teenager’s closets. They are easy to wear, comfortable, and were available in a variety of colours. Usually, they were worn sockless but sometimes women wore them with bobby socks as welk. Their quality and materials were durable enough to last an entire year and were known for their practicality. Loafers were worn with all kinds of attires, like sports attire, Capri pants, playsuits, shorts, and jumper dresses.
1951 Strappy Heels
Strappy tall heel shoes were the other type of footwear popular for evening parties. They had ultra-thin T straps, ankle straps, or slingbacks. They provided enough support to keep the shoe intact with women’s feet. They were mostly available in nude shades and complemented women’s party wear elegantly. Thin kitten heel shoes were another style of strappy shoes that women loved immensely. These classic shoes were more comfortable and elegant. They were made of softer leather material. Sometimes, fabrics like mesh, velvet, or suede were also used.
1950s Pumps
For daily wear, mid-heeled pumps were best suited. Black was the most preferred colour. Another style of pumps was the baby dolls. They featured circular toes that resembled a doll’s shoe. Mostly available in fun shades, these were apt to be worn during summers and Springs.
1950S Rain Boots
You must have noticed that flats and Hugh heels dominated the decade of the 1950s. Now, the question is how did women deal with rain and snow. For that purpose, women used rain boots and winter snow boots.
To tackle the rain, goloshes or rain boots were worn. Their styles have remained unchanged since the 1900s. An only prominent feature of the 1950s rainboots was that they were manufactured from thin rubber covers and were fastened on one side. Women wore them on top of shoes or sandals to create the illusion of high heels. Tall rubber rain boots provided them with Ultimate protection from the rain. However, most rain boots also had medium to low sized heels, to give women a feminine look.
1950s Winter Boots
To prevent snow from entering the shoes, a warmer and thicker shoe was needed. Similar to rain boots, women wore the snow ones too overshoes and sandals. The snow boots were available in better shapes. They had a flat sole that fits perfectly into their feet. The boots were available in a variety of colours like brown, white or black and sometimes were rubbered with a zip in front or fastened on one corner. Winter snow boots were available in different other styles too, like ankle-high booties, tall lace-ups, western boots, etc. They were mostly low priced but highly practical. They replaced shearling, quilting, faux shearling, and fleece lining gradually.
Apart from the ones were have discussed there were other varieties of shoes available like slippers, bunny shoes, sports shoes like plimsolls and keds, etc. If you are looking for a 1950s variety of shoes, they can easily spot them online. Even some reputed local stores also keep these vintage fashion accessories. Some even offer at discounted prices. So pick a trustworthy site and dress like a 1950s elegant, dazzling woman! However, before you buy from any store, check the quality and materials used for its manufacture. Make sure the product is worthy of your investment.