Figure 1.--This unidentified Pennsylvania boy had his portrait taken in 1947. A reader tells us, "Most boys that I remember seeing wearing saddle shoes during the 1940s and 1950s wore the blucher type. There were exceptions, such as this boy. He is wearing balmoral type saddle shoes with white soles. Older boys and men at the time who wore saddle shoes had black or coral color soles. White soles were almost always found on girls saddle shoes.

Today the saddle shoe is seen primarily as a girls' shoe or worn for small boys. This was not always the case. The changing conventions associated with saddle shoes over time make the consideration of the ages associated with the saddle shoe rather complicated. The saddle shoe was initially a sports shoe. I believe thay it was initially worn more by boys than girls, but it was worn by teenagers anf young adults. I do not recall the saddle shoe being worn in primary school, but rather more in highschools. Of course individual observatuins are limited. HBC has notedmailoorder catalohs made saddle shoes in younger sizes. Also we do note portraits of younger boys wearing saddle shoes. A HBC reader reports that there were age and gender conventions associated with saddle shoes in the 1940s and 50s. A reader notes that the Pennsylvania boy here "is wearing balmoral type saddle shoes with white soles. Older boys and men at the time who wore saddle shoes had black or coral color soles. White soles were almost always found on girls saddle shoes." While I do not recall younger boys like this wearing saddle shoes, it clear was the case. Not only this portrait shoes this, but also mailorder catalog sizes. Note the Sears 1950 shoe page. Older boys did wear saddle shoes through the early 1960s. The age and gender conventions seems to have begun to change by the 1970s when the current conventions appear to have developed. The age conventions, however, are complicated. While by the 1970s we see saddle shoes being worn as a kind of dressup shoe by younger boys, we do note the saddle shoe being worn by youths. This was mostly a kind of golf shoe, but we also notice regular shoes, often done in brown shades, but not the classic black and white style.

3 Years Old

Today the saddle shoe is seen primarily as a girls' shoe or worn for small boys. We see boys as young a 3 yeas old wearing them. By the 1970s we see saddle shoes being worn as a kind of dressup shoe by younger boys, we do note the saddle shoe being worn by youths. This was mostly a kind of golf shoe, but we also notice regular shoes, often done in brown shades, but not the classic black and white style.

4 Years Old

5 Years OLd

Here we see a boy about 5 years old wearing saddle shoes, dressed up for a formal portrait in 1947 (figure 1).

7 Years Old

We note an Ohio boy wearing saddle shoes with a sailor suit about 1924.

13 Years Old

We notice William Ford who looks to be about 13 years old wearing saddle shoes with a suit in 1940. I believe thay saddle shoes were initially worn more by boys than girls, but it was worn by teenagers anf young adults. I do not recall the saddle shoe being worn in primary school, but rather more in highschools. Of course individual observatuins are limited. HBC has noted mailoorder catalohs made saddle shoes in younger sizes. Also we do note portraits of younger boys wearing saddle shoes. A HBC reader reports that there were age and gender conventions associated with saddle shoes in the 1940s and 50s. A reader notes that the Pennsylvania boy here "is wearing balmoral type saddle shoes with white soles. Older boys and men at the time who wore saddle shoes had black or coral color soles. White soles were almost always found on girls saddle shoes." While I do not recall younger boys like this wearing saddle shoes, it clear was the case. Not only this portrait shoes this, but also mailorder catalog sizes. Note the Sears 1950 shoe page. Older boys did wear saddle shoes through the early 1960s. The age and gender conventions seems to have begun to change by the 1970s when the current conventions appear to have developed. The age conventions, however, are complicated.

Created: 4:32 PM 3/22/2005
Last updated: 4:32 PM 3/22/2005