Figure 1.-- This unidentified American boy wears many of the popular styles of the 1910s. This boy looks to be about 8-9 years old. He wears the popular fklat cap. He has a white blouse and necktie wjich he wears with knivkers and black longg stickings. The one item that was not very common was the sandals. Note that they are being sworn with black stoickings and fore dress wear. The postcard photograph had a AZO stamp box dating between 1904 and 1918. We would guessit was taken in the early 1910s.

There are two basic types of sandals, closed and open toe styles. Most early sandals and strap shoes were closed-toe sandals. We note boys wearing closed-toe strap shoes in the 19th century, but these seem more of a shoe rather than s asndal in the sence of children's wear for play and school. We note boys wearing sandals in the early 20th century. We see many different styles involving the placement and arrangement of the straps. We see them being worn in the early 20th century, but they were not very popular. American boys wore sandals much less than boys in Europe. We note different colors. Tan was a popular color for the first sandals in the early 20th century. Early sandals During the mid-20 century they were still being worn by girls and younger boys. The sandal became popular schoolwear in Britain, but this was never the case in America, We note sandals becoming more popular in the late 20th century, espcially the open-toe styles. There were regional differences. Sandals seemed more popular in California than the East Coast. We see more sandals in the 1990s. Footwear companies broughout the sports sandal. The open-toe sandals did not the image of little boys/girls foot wear and acquired the image of leisure wear for both boys and men.

Types

There are two basic types of sandals, closed and open toe styles. Most early sandals and strap shoes were closed-toe sandals. We note boys wearing closed-toe strap shoes in the 19th century, but these seem more of a shoe rather than sandals in the sence of children's wear for play and school. We note boys wearing sandals in the early 20th century. We see many different styles involving the placement and arrangement of the straps on closed toe-sandals. We do not see boys wearing open-toe sandals until well after World War II. They were dirst worn in Califotrnia and only gradually spread east. The sandals that began to become popular were open-toe sandals. This was a very casual style and boys did not wear hosiery with sandals.

Chronology

We note boys wearing strap shoes in the 19th century. We do not note sandals untol the turn-of-th 20th century. And at that tome we note boys wearing sandals in both the photographic record and in period cataogs. They seem to be mostly double strp cloesd-toe sandals. They were referred to as barefoot sandals. They appeared in the 1900s, although the photographic record suggests that they were not widely worn in the q900s. We think that they were beginning to become popular by the end of the decade. They seem to have been fairly popular in the 1910s. They were commonly worn with hosiery, but we also see them being worn without hosiery. Sandals declined in popularity after World War I in the 1920s. This was especoally the case for boys. We note by the 1930s that virtually no American boys wore sandals. An exceotion seems to be boys from affluent families whose parents were influenced by British fashions. Sandals were worn in america, but almost always by girls. This gender division did not begin to change until after World war II. Sandals seemed more popular in California than the East Coast. We see more sandals in the 1990s. Footwear companies broughout the sports sandal. The open-toe sandals did not the image of little boys/girls foot wear and acquired the image of leisure wear for both boys and men.

Popularity

We see sandals being worn in the early 20th century, but they were not very popular. American boys wore sandals, but less than boys in Europe. This was especially the case after World war I.

Color

We note different colors. Assessing color, however, is complicated by the blck-and-white photography of the early 20th century. Availables imges suggest that sandals were normally done in dark colors. Dark tan seems to have been a popular color for the first sandals in the early 20th century.

Age

We are not yet sure about the age conventions associated with boys wearing sandals in America. Conventions appear to have changed over time. Sandals as opposed to strap shoes appeared after the turn-of-the 20th century. For a short period, cloesed-toe sandals seem to have been popular, at least will families in comfortable circumstances. We note them being worn primarily by pre-teen boys. We note quite a number of younger bous wearing sandals in the 1910s. We note that in catalogs that they were offered in larger sizes. We have found, however, only a few photographs of teenagers wearing them, especially older teenagers. After World war I sandals declined in popularity, at leadt for boys. We rately see school age boys wearing them. Only after World war II do we see boys commonly wearing sandals. We begin to see boys in California wearing sandals in the 1960s. They became associayed with the Calofornia beach culture which Hippies picked up on. Thus we see teenagers wearing them, actually more teenagers thab younger boys.

Gender

Early sandals During the mid-20 century they were still being worn by girls and younger boys.

Usage

The sandal became popular schoolwear in Britain, but this was never the case in America, We note sandals becoming more popular in the late 20th century, espcially the open-toe styles. There were regional differences.

Created: 1:52 AM 7/19/2008
Last updated: 2:33 AM 8/3/2008