Figure 1.-- This photo postcard shows a boy holding a toy gun with a little paper mache dog next to him. The message on the back dates the photograph to 1914. The portrait was taken at Parker's Rocco Studio, Ohio. Rather a rudimentary portrait for a studio. The boys wears black log stockings and strap shoes with his knickers suit. Strap shoes were still common for younger boys in the 1910s, but we don't commonly see them fpr boys old enough to wear knicker suits.

We note American boys wearing a range of different footwear. Footwear in the 19th century seems similar in both Anerica and Europe. We have only limited information on the early 19th century. We note mostly high-top shoes in the late 19th century. Some younger children wore low-cut strap shoes. Going barefoot was probably more common in America. We notice various styles of strap shoes and sandals in the early 20th century. They were at first worn by both boys and girls. Here there were social class factors involved. Sandals became less common for boys after World War I and the early 20s and do not reappear as a major style for boys until sports sandals in the 1990s. American and European footwear styles begin to significantly differ after World War I. The Briish school sandal never became popular in America. American sneakers did bot become popular in Europe until the 1970s. We do see American boys wearing sneakers in the 1910s and they begin to become more common in the 1920s. They were discouraged at scgool until well after World war II, but eventually become the primary style for children., especially boys. Most boys wore low-cut leather shoes by the 1920s, although high-top shoes were still worn in the 1920s.

Created: 5:52 PM 10/29/2007
Last updated: 5:52 PM 10/29/2007