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The strap shoe shoe changed significantly during the 20th century. While many of these changes were not manifest during the early-20th century. We see mostly ankle-strap shoes and bows on the shoes durung the rly-20th century. They weere popilar both in America and Europe for both boys abd girls. Major changes began increasingly apparent after World War I (1914-18) in the 1920s. New styles appeared with varying placement of the center strap and the disappeance f ribbin bows as well as other stylistic inovations. The shoe became availabe in many colors, including white, red, and blue. It became increasingly perceived as a girl's shoe and boys wearing them declined in age as the century progressed. It also became a play shoe and play versions were referred to as sandals rather than shoes. The play versions were often the colored ones, especially red. Dress shoes continued to be mostly black and to a lesser extent white. Different materials besides patent leather were used to make the shoes. Our chronological assessment becomes more complicated in the 20th century. This is because the concept of a sandal as a casual, play shoe developed. We refer to these shoes as closed-toe sandals and have a separate 20th century chronology. The problem is that there is sometimes a fine line between a play shoe and a dress shoe. The French post card here is a good example.
We see some boys wearing fancy dress shoes with an open vamp. An example is unidentified American boy. This shoe with a strap was much more common. I am not sure why, but the strap I think made it more practical. Black strap shoes were most common. We note some boys wearing white strap shoes, especially in the summer. An example is a portrait of American brothers.
The back or ankle strap shoe was very popular in both America and Europe during the 1910s. Much of what ewe have found are merican boiys, in poart because of the karger American photographic record. An example is an American boy. Strap shoes were commonly worn with white socks or stockings, but not always. A example is a French boy in a commercial post card. Dark hosiery was nore common in the 19th century. We note both white and black strap shoes, but the black shoes were more common. An example is a portrait of an American boys about 1915. We note them worn with many different garments. An example is an American boy wearing a tunic suit about 1910. We see another American boy in the 1910s with his father on an Irish Mail. We are not sure about the color.
Strap shoes were still quite common in the 1920s. Both boys and girls might wear them. Styles began to change from the ankle style to the instep style which we can see here (figure 1). We see American boys wearing strap shoes in the early-20th century, primarily the ankle strap shoe type. After World War I in the 1920s, strp shoes for boys become much less common in America, at least fgor boys. They continued to be widely worn by American girls Most, but not all of our images come from Europe. And we do not just see youngrr boys who can not tie their shoe laces wearing them. They were generally a style for younger boys and girls. In Europe, however, we see some school age boys wearing them. We see a European boy, perhaps French, wearing strap shoes with a fashionanle knit outfit. We note German boys wearing strap shoes with dressy outfits. We also see German boys wearing strap shoes to school. Some were still made with bows. An example is an unidentified European boy. These bows were more common in the earlier 20th century. We still see ankle strap shoes in the 1920s, but that style was becoming less common. An example is a snapshot of American children. There were still a variety of styles. An example is an unidentified boy, either American or British. They were worn with many outfits. We notice an American boy wearing strap shoes with a sailor suit, probably in the 1920s. We note that strap shoes are often depicted in the post cards of the early 20 century. We believe that this idealized image especially appealed to women who bought most of the post cards of children. An example is a Dutch or French boy. We note Latvian children in the 1920s. The girl looks to be wearing red strap shoes. There seems to be a socila class factor at play here. An example is Austrian royalty after World War I.
The German post card is of course an idealized depiction from 1930. Different styles of strap shoes are shown. The children as show in a kind of play situation, but the shoes are rather dress styles. We know that these shoes were worn by actual childrem. We note Polish children, for example, in 1939. The most common style was a single bar, but we also notice a German boy wearing multiple strap shoes. Strap shoes to have been especially popular in Germany. An example are two German children. Family portraits show a definite age convention, usually with the younger children wearing them. A good example is a Dutch family. The age convention was less strict when the strap shoe was worn as a play or casual shoe. We also notice class destinctions. It was for example a popular style for royalty. We note, for example, Belgian princes in the 1930s. We note American boys wearing strap shoes in the 1930s, but afterwards it became much less common. An examole is an American boy wearing an Eton suit. Post cards still showed idealized images in the 1930s. An example is French post card.
Both boys and girls might still wear dress strap shoes in the 1940s, but it ws becoming less common. A example is a portrait of French children.
We still see some boys wearingg strap shoes in the 1960s. There were clear class destinctions notable. Strap shoes were most common for wealthy xhildren. An example is a British family.
Dress strap shoes for boys did not disappear, even by the 1980s. They were most common seen worn by wealthy children. An example is Lord Janes Tavistock. We also note them in fashion magazines. Occassionaly they were worn in formal weddings, sometimes by the ring bearer.
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