Figure 1.--American boys began wearing closed-toe sandals in the 1910s. They were often worn with long stockings, but socks begame more common in the 1920s. |
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Closed-toe sandals in America were referred to as "T" strap shoes. They were not very popular with boys who in the 1920s began to wear sneakers for play.
They were worn to some extent by little boys in the 1920s, mostly with dressy clothes. This was most common with affluent families. Most boys wanted
to wear sneakers for play and thus closed-toe andals never caught on for leisure wear as they did in England. Some little boys did wear them, but again mostly affluent families. I notice fashion magazines referred to Italian sandals when describing boys closed-toe sandals. I think this simply refers to quality footwear made by Italian companies which appealed to affluent mothers. The design looked much like the classic British school sandal. The style in America is mostly worn by girls.
I have not yet acquired any historical information on closed toe sandals in America. The limited information I have comes from an analysis of available photographs. I have not noted sandals in the 19th Century. The images I have suggest that this type of footware was
introduced in the 1900s or 1910s, although some may have been available in the 1900s. Sandals By the 1920s they were increasingly viewed by boys a style for very little boys or girls and the popularity declined. They were worn by some Americans boys, although they were not popular with them, until the 1960s.Trends varied around the country. One HBC contributor growing up in Washungton, DC during the 1950s rarely saw boys wearing sandals. One HBC contributor reports, "I remember in the 60s seeing boys as old as 10 wearing closed end sandals on Long Island, New York. This occurred only in the warm months, late Spring throughout the summer and it was not just for dressy occassions. It was not so common that everyone wore them, however, no one was teased about it so it was not so uncommon. I believe the younger the boy the more common it was to wear the closed end sandals and as we entered school and played in sneakers it became less common. By the
late 60s, I do not recall anyone but boys 5, maybe 6 and under wearing them." HBC believes that the varying observations by these sources is largely a reflection of social class. Boys from more affluent families were much more likely to wear sandals than boys growing up in more modest circumstances. Closed toe sandals have rarely been seen as boys wear since the 1980s, although they continue to be a popular girls' style.
I have no informatin yet on the origins of closed-toe sandals. I assume it was not American, but rather an European import. It appears to have been a style particularly popular with upper-class, affluent
Americans--especially with families that have English conections. It has always had rather a look of upper-class fashions to American eyes.
Sandals in America have generally been worn by younger boys. The age range has genrrally been from bous 2 to 6 years of age, although some boys up to about 10 years have worn them. Some older Anerican boys wore sandals in the 1900s and 10s, but this had become much less common by the mid 1920s. Older American boys and younger teenagers, unlike Europe, did not wear sandals--especially after the 1920s. It was not until the 1960s that American boys began wearing sandals as a play shoe--at first mostly in California..
Closed-toe sandals appear to have been much more common for boys from affluent families. HBC is not sure as to just why this was. Perhaps these families were more influenced with European styles. We are somewhat skeptical about this because in the 1900s and 10s, closed-toe sandals were not a specifically European style. We suspect that because the chidren were more carefully supervised that mothers were able to select styles that they preferred to an older age.
There are basically two styles of closed toe sandals worn by American boys, double bar and "t"strap sandals. The double-bar sandals were the most common.
Closed-toe sandals in America were referred to as "T" strap shoes. These were by far the most common style, but mostly worn by girls. Ameican boys never commonly wore this style of sandal as was common in Britain. They were never a school style for boys as was the case in Brutain. Considerable variations existed with this basic style, the tooling of the leather, number and design of ventilation holes, stifness of the leather, with of the straps, and many other factors. A rare example is George Dorsey wearing white "t" strap sandals in 1923.
Another style which also seems to have appeared in the 1900s was had double-horizontal straps, with the stabalizing vertical strap. The style of sandal was worn, mostly by younger boys, in the 1900s and 10s. They were advertized as "Barefoot Sandals". We see children wearing them both with and without hosiery. We see children wearing them both for play and in formal occassions as well.
Closed-toe sandals came in many different colors, including red, blue, white, and others. The most popular color for younger appears to have been red. Older boys weraing sandals generally did not want the colored sandals, but preferred a brown color like a standard leather shoe.
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American boys wore sandals with a variety of clothing. The most common clothing worn with closed-toe sandals were short pants, although they were also wudely worn with tunic suits. It was much less common to wear them with knickers and long pants--although some boys did so, presumably at mother's urging. They were often initially worn with long stockings, especially for dressy outfits. White long stockings were common in the summer for dress occasions, although they were not at all popular with boys. Socks became more common in the 1920s. The length varied, including ankle sicks, three-quater socks and kneesocks. The most common color was white socks.
The sandal has always had an air of informality about it. Some outfits worn with closed toe-sandals appear to our modern eyes as dressy looking. However, the outfits were not worn for the more formal occasions. Boys wearing sandals might be dressed up with single-bar strap shoes for the most formal occasions. The sandal was mostly used as a play shoe in the early 20th century. After the appearance of canvas shoes in the 1910s they quickly became popular, largely replacing sandals as a play shoe--except among affluent families who tended to prefer sandals as canvas shoes or sneakers did not become stylish until the 1970s. A canvas shoe coukd be purchased cheaply, well below the cost of leather sandals.
Sandales, especially closed-toe sandals were not very popular with boys who in the 1920s increasingly began to wear sneakers for play. They were worn to some extent by little boys in the 1920s, mostly with dressy clothes. The closed toe style was most common with affluent families and such boys were less likely to wear sneakers. Most American boys wanted to wear sneakers for play and thus closed-toe andals never caught on for
leisure wear as they did in England. Sneakers were at first most commonly worn by boys from
less affluent means, but they gradually grew in popularity. Some little boys did wear them, but again mostly affluent families. They were generally chosen by the mothers rather than the boys. I notice fashion magazines referred to Ilalian sandals when describing boys closed-toe sandals. I think this simply refers to quality footwear made by Italian companies which appealed to affluent mothers. The design looked much like the classic British school sandal. American boys as early as the 1920s began to view the style as a girls's style. Even so, closed-toe sandals were worn by some American boys through many decades, but with decling popularity. They were briefly revived in the 1960s when Jacki dressed John Jr. in them. It was of course, the mothers who liked the look--not the boys. The style by the 1970s was rarely worn by boys.
Closed-toe sandals appear to have been more common in the South than other parts of the country. Again socio-economic factors were involved as the sandals were much more common with boys from affluent families. One reader reports tht the practice of toddler boys wearing T-straps is actually still quite common down in the Deep South.
Quite a few companies have made closed-toe sandals and strap shoes in the United States. Companies include Amilio, Baby Deer, Buster Browns, Child Stride, Jumping Jacks, and Lazy Bones, but many other companies have also made them.
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