Figure 1.--There were a variety of closed-toe sandals commonly worn at prep schools. Two of the major variations were the width of the center strap and the performation on the top front. |
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We also noticed a variety of sandals. Sandals were worn at many prep schools. Some schools required them. At other schools many of the younger children wore them even though they were not required. Normally only younger children wore them when not required. The children mostly wore closed-toe sandals, although open-toe sandals were worn at a few schools. There were several different styles of closed-toe sandals. The basic styles were single and double strap styles. There were many small diiferences involving the with of the center strap and perforations. Soles also varried. Schools often specified a specific style, but most schools sid not rigorously enforce this. They were worn by both boys and girls. Both boys and girls wore sandals with a center strap like a "T"-strap shoes. Boys wore sandals with a center strap of varied width. Sandals were made with and without perferations on the top front portion. They also came in different colors. Girls school sandals with center straps always had the narrow style. The girls also wore strap shoes without the center strap.
Sandals were worn at many prep schools. Some schools required them. At other schools many of the younger children wore them even though they were not required. Normally only younger children wore them when not required. Boys seem to have different opinions about sandals. Some boys liked them and others did not. This varied somewhat from school to school. At one school we visited the childern were looking forward to the day that the school made the seasonal shift from shoes to sandals for everday schoolwear. Generally speaking, sneakers seem to have been more popular. Here age was a factor. Some of the older boys dod not like sandals.
We also noticed a variety of sandals. The two basic types of sandals are closed and open-toe sandals. The children mostly wore closed-toe sandals, although open-toe sandals were worn at a few schools. There were several different styles of closed-toe sandals. The basic styles of c;oed-toe sandals were single and double strap styles. The single-strap type was by far the most common. There were many small diiferences involving the with of the center strap and perforations. The center straps were originally narrow. By the 1980s the wide center strap had become more popular with boys, perhaps because it looked more like a shoe. Sandals were made with and without perferations on the top front portion. Soles also varried.
Schools often specified a specific style, but most schools did not rigorously enforce this. Some schools allowed the children to wear what ever sandals they wanted, although it was more common to choose one of the two types.
They were worn by both boys and girls. Both boys and girls wore sandals with a center strap like a "T"-strap shoes. Boys wore sandals with a center strap of varied width. Girls school sandals with center straps always had the narrow style. The girls also wore strap shoes without the center strap.
Sandals also came in several different colors. The primary color worn of the sandals wore at at school was brown. This was the color most boys at school wore. There were several different shades of brown, but brown was the principal volor. The brown shades varies from tan to reddish brown. Much less common were blue sandals. The blue sandals were often done as double-vard sandals. Sandals came in other colors, but we have not noted these other colors being adopted by the schools or worn by school age boys.
Early sandals had leather soles like shoes, but we think not as heavy. Both the tops and soles were leather. The soles of sandals we noted were done in one piece crepe rubber, not leather. The tops were leather, bit not the soles. We are not sure just when the crepe rubber soles first replaced leather. There we several different styles for the sole. Some had animal paws, but this went out of styles before we began to visit the schools. The soles we noted had more basic geometric patterns designed to privide a degree of traction. There were also soles done in a seies of ridges.
