There is nothing boring about women’s shoes and boots these days and if you compare the options to just fifty years ago, bright and vibrant colors have entered the mix to create some early examples.
Until the 1960s, most photographs and film were made in black and white, so it has been difficult to imagine the color of anything in this medium. Sometimes it seems like everything was in black and white and when modern computer software can convert very old movies to color it seems a bit strange.
Recently a number of actual war images were converted to color and seeing soldiers in khaki instead of a lighter shade of black was a start.
Aside from a famous movie from the 1940s about a pair of red shoes, no amount of color added to old photos and movies can hide the fact that almost all shoes for men and women have historically always been black. and browns with a very rare white mainly for the tennis court or golf course.
Gangsters of the 1930s may have had white leggings, but the nobility frowned upon them and considered them too fast for good taste.
When you look at the wide range of styles and colors, especially in women’s shoes, and then look at photos of Grannies, it’s hard not to feel sorry for the lack of options available back then in the Middle Ages.
Shoes always look better in natural leather and this is the only thing that hasn’t changed in thousands of years. The first shoes found by archaeologists from various parts of ancient civilizations have invariably been made of leather.
The natural beauty of leather is combined with durability, and with proper care, a well-crafted shoe or boot can last for many years.
With a good leather shoe or boot it is almost impossible to over-polish. With a good quality shoe polish it is possible to get the proverbial soldiers’ parade boots in which the sergeant major can really see himself.
If you’re in London and happen to be in the city between a Monday and a Friday, you can see the bankers in suits who spent time in the army by the shine on their shoes. A well-polished toe cap will reinforce the likelihood that the wearer has done his military service as clearly as his demeanor, things that are never forgotten.
Women can choose shoes and boots like never before and the only problem is the danger that collecting them becomes an obsession.
We all know women who can’t walk past a shoe store without having to look inside. This may be one of the reasons shoe stores survive better than most outlets.
Women’s shoes and boots are an essential part of the wardrobe, and yet with all the options available, how often does a man have to listen to the words; I have nothing to match this new dress.