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The most common style of strap shoe had a strap which crossed the foot at the instep. This is the classic style for the shoe. The width of the strap varies on this
style. Some strap were quite narrow, others had very wide straps. These shoes were worn by younger children throughout the 19the century. They were first commonly worn by boys about the turn of the 19th century with long pants skeleton suits. After the 1840s they were mostly worn by very young boys ad girls, nut increased in popularity in the 1890s when they began to be worn with Fauntleroy suits and other dressy children's wear. They were worn by both boys and girls in the eraly 20th century--especially boys from affluent families. Hosiery styles varied. Colors also varied. Other styles of strap shoes were more likely to be always black.
The single bar strap shoe with the instep bar seems to have been the most common style.
The most common style of strap shoe had a strap which crossed the foot at the instep. This is the classic style for the shoe.
The width of the strap or bar varies on this style of strap shoes. Some strap were quite narrow, others had very wide straps. There also were slight differences in the strap placement affecring the open space betwwen the toe and strap.
Some strap shoes were quite basic and plain. Others has bow. Usually the bow was over the toe of the shoe. Less commonly the bow was smaller and on the cross bar or strap. These were less common than on the plain strap shoe. Generally speaking these bows were small and inconscpicous. I'm not sure about country differences here.
These shoes were worn by younger children throughout the 19th century. They were first commonly worn by boys about the turn-of-the 19th century with long pants skeleton suits. After the 1840s they were mostly worn by very young boys and girls. A good example is an unidentified Canadian boy, we think in the 1860s. High-top shoes became very popular in the 1870s. We see some younger boys wearing strap shoes, sometimes with Fauntleroy suits and other dressy children's wear.
They were worn by both boys and girls in the eraly 20th century--especially boys from affluent families. Some times boys and girls wore different types or colors of strap shoes, but in other occasions they were virtually identical. Mpthers could also vary the type or color of hosiery for boys and girls.
Hosiery styles varied. Commonly white hosiery was worn with the black strap shoes. All lengths iof hisiery were worn inckuding long stockings, kneesock, three-quarter socks. and ankle socks. Tights were also worn with strap shoes, but mostly by girls. By the time tights had been developed for children, fewer boys were wearing strap shoes. While white was the most common color for hosiery wornh with strap shoes, black was also used. The most common type of black hosiery worn with black strap shoes was long stockings. We have also noted, however, three-quarter length black socks being woen with strap shoes. One example is an 1890s American family.
Colors also varied. Black was the mort common color. They were also made in white anc colors, especially red and blue. The red and blue shoes were more cimmionly a play shoe than a dress shoe like the black and white ones. Other styles of strap shoes were more likely to be always black.
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