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Strap shoes were worn by American boys, following much the same pattern as in Europe. They were never as popular, however, in America as in Europe. This was in part because short pants which were generally worn with strap shoes were not as popular in America. They were worn with skeleton suits in the early 19th century and by the turn of the 20th century with Fauntleroy suits and with other outfits like Buster Brown suits and sailor suits.
The time line for strap shoes in America is similar to that in Europe. While usage patterns varried, the appearance of the strap shoe and stlistic trends were not greatly different.
Strap shoes for children appeared early in 19th century. I have first noted them worn by boys with skeleton suits. I am not sure who developed this style of shoe or just why it was considered suitable for children. It was a European import, probably from France, but was widely worn in Euope in the ealy 19th century. It was not commonly worn by boys, but it is somnetimes seen at mid-century with boys still wearing dresses. Boys in the late 19th century, even boys in dresses often wore heavy boot-like footwear. European boys at the time were more likely to wear strap shoes. This was in part because America probably had fewer amenities like sidewalks and delicate strap shoes were not like to hold upmas well as more substantial footwear.
Stap shoes were seen again at the beginning of the 20th century with boys wearing Fautleroy or Buster Brown suits. We also notice boys in dressy tunic suits wearing them. A good example is an unidentified boy in the 1910s. Strap shoes were dressy shoes until the 1920s when they were worn by younger boys for play. They were most common in the early 20th century. A good example is Carl Kellison about 1910. They were still worn by American boys, mostly boys from affluent families, in the 1930s, but were much less common in the 1940s. Some boys occasionally wore them for very formal occasions even into the 1960s, but this was not common.
The basic strap shoe is the style worn by boys. Generally boys wore the style with a fairly wide bar strap. The shoes with particulatly narrow side bars were normally for girls. Boys shoes were alwaus very plain. Girls strap shoes, especially modern ones, might have embelishments like little bows or patterns cut out of the shoe. Another style of strap shoe had the strap high on the ankle rather than across the inseam. This was commonly worn by both boys before World War I. While these were the two basic types, there were many variations, especially in the number of straps or bars. A good example is Carl Kellison who wore doubl bar shoes with out a center strap or post. it.
We notice mosty pre-school American children wearing strap shoes. This vaid somewhat chronologically. We note Carl Kellison wearing strap hoes about 1910 He was 6 years old, but he mat not have begun school yet.
Strap shoes came in many colors. As far as I know they were always black in the 19th century. I believe that colored shoes appeared in the 1900s, reds, blues, and whites. This is primarily based on the premise that Buster Brown was drawn in olored strap shoes. The photographic evidence is ambiguous as it is black and white. I eventually hope to find some advertisements which will provide details on color. The colored shoes were mostly the play shoe and not the dress strap shoe.
Strap shoes in America were also known as Mary Janes--at least the girls' versions. I'm not sure why, but I think this was a trade mark of the Buster Brown Shoe Company. I think Buster's girl friend was Mary Jane, but of course Buster also wore starap shoes.
Strap shoes were available in both dress and play styles.
The strap shoe for most of the time it has been worn by children has been identified primarily as a dress shoe. From the early 19th cetury, it was generaly seen as a dress shoe. We also note this trend in the early 20th century. We still see boys wearing strap shoes when dressing up in the 1920s. A good example is an Unidentified American family, we think in the late 1920s. This became much less common foir boys in the 1930s. Girls continue, however, to wear strap shoes as a dress shoe.
The strap shoes was worn in more informal situations in the early 20th century. Strap shoes were normally worn with Buster Browb suits. While not a play suit as such, the Buster Brown suit was often anot a boy's best party suit. Thus boys might have worn it for play, but generallu not games or rough outdoor actibities. After World War I, strap shoes were worn for play. Not exclusively, there were dress strap shoes also. They were rarely worn for play by American boys after the 1930s.
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Strap shoes were worn with a variety of different outfits. This varied over time. We see boys wearing them with dresses, but not very commonly with kilt suits. Not many bys wore them with Fauntleroy suits, but they were fairly cmmon with tunic suits. Here a factor was not ony what mother thought went well with the outfits, bt what styles were popular when strap shoes were commonly worn. And we notice that during the summer boys might wear plsay sandals rather than more formal strap shoes.
Dresses: American boys in the 19th centuries did wear strap shoes before breeching, but this was less common than in Europe. Especially after the 1860s, boys usually wore heavier shoes.
Fauntleroy suits: The classic Fauntleroy suit which appeared in 1885-86 was mostly worn with boot like shoes. About the turn of the century boys began wearing Fauntleroy uits with straps shoes, in some cases with long white stockings or white socks. The strap shoes worn with Fauntleroy suits were generally black shoes.
Tunic suits: Wevnote strap shoes worn with various types of tunic suits. Of course they were most common with dressier tunic suit types. A good example is the dressy Russian blouse outfit worn by Carl Kellison about 1910. We notice them worn with the different styles f tunic suits, including Buster Brown suits, sailor tuics and Russian blouses. Buster Brown suits were often worn with strap shoes, in many cases colored strap shoes matching the suit. This included red shoes with red suits. Theblack and white photography of the day mkes it difficult to assess color.
Sailor suits: Some boys beginning in the 1910s wore their sailor suits with strap shoes. This was not common, most boys wore actual shoes with their sailor suits. Some boys (generally from wealthy families) did wear their sailor suits with strap shoes. This was most common with white suits and kneesocks, but some were also worn with sark suits and kneesocks.
Shorts sets: A new style of shorts sets, often with self-belted shorts appeared in the late 1920s. They continued to be worn through the 1940s. These were not commonly worn with strap shoes, but especially in the 1920s and early 1930s boys did wear them with strap shoes. These suits came in various colors. Khaki was particularlu popular. While was not common, but some whitecsuits were worn as an informal dressy suit during the summer.
Smocks: English and European boys commonly wore smocks with strap shoes. This was not unknown, but much less common in America.
Strap shoes have been worn with a wide variety of hosery.
Ankle socks: Strap shoes in the early 19th century were worn with white ankle socks.
Three-quarter socks: Strap shoes in the early 20th century were generally worn with three-quater socks. White was the most common color.
Knee socks: Kneesocks became increasingly common in the 1920s. Both white and dark kneesocks were worn. The most popular were the white kneesocks. American boys commonly wore patterned kneesocks, but not with strap shoes.
Stockings: American boys in the late 19th century commonly wore long stockings. They continued to be worn in the 1900s, but began to decline in the 1910s. They were little worn after the early 1920s. A boy might wear long white or dark stockings for a formal occasion with strap shoes during the 1910s, this declined in popularity during the 1920s.
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