*** boys clothes: France -- garments footwear shoes








French Footwear: Shoes


Figure 1.--Many French commercial postcards show boys wearing strap shoes. They seem much less common in the actual photographic record. This was a New Years card mailed in 1934.

We note a range of different footwear types worn by French boys over time. Our information beyond the images we have archived is still quite limited. Hightop shoes were common in the late 19th century and continued to be a major style for boys until after World War II. This appears in the 20th century to have been a style for primary school children. We see many school children wearing them. Younger children might wear strap shoes. A lot of commercial post cards show boys wearing strap shoes. Boys and girls wore the same syles. These appear, however, to be idealized imges made for sale rather than acurate depictions of contemporary children. They seem much less common among actual boys, even when dressing up. Sandals have been popular during the 20th century, although we are unsure as to when they first appeared. They seem especially popular during the summer. Low cut oxford shoes became popular in the 20th century, but did not replace hightop shoes until after World War II. We note, however that even into the 1960s that some children wore hightop boot-like shoes. We begin to note many boyswearing sneakers in the 1950s, but they had a more flimsy look than American Keds and were often hightop. Trendier sneakers appared in the 1970s and became very popular.

High-top shoes

Hightop shoes were common in the late 19th century and continued to be a major style for boys until after World War II. This appears in the 20th century to have been a style for primary school children. We see many school children wearing them.

Oxfords

Low cut oxford shoes became popular in the 20th century, but did not replace hightop shoes until after World War II. We note, however that even into the 1960s that some children wore hightop boot-like shoes.

Sandals

Sandals have been popular during the 20th century, although we are unsure as to when they first appeared. They seem especially popular during the summer.

Strap Shoes

Younger children might wear strap shoes. A lot of commercial post cards show boys wearing strap shoes. Boys and girls wore the same syles. These appear, however, to be idealized imges made for sale rather than acurate depictions of contemporary children. This is not to say that French boys did not wear strap shoes. We note do note boys wearing them. They seem, however, much less common among actual boys, even when dressing up. The post cards seem to show how mothers would like to dress their children more than they actually succeeded in doing so. We note two types of strap shoes. Some were the kind often depicted in the commercial post cards. These were dress shoes, often made in expensive grade of leather. These dress strap shoes were normally worn by younger boys. There were also a kind of play or casul strap shoe. They were worn much as sneakers are worn today. These strap shoes might be worn by older boys.

Sneakers

We begin to note many boyswearing sneakers in the 1950s, but they had a more flimsy look than American Keds and were often hightop. Trendier sneakers appared in the 1970s and became very popular. They replaced sandals to a subtantial extent.






HBC





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Created: 10:41 PM 7/31/2006
Last updated: 6:17 PM 10/12/2006