Shoe Trends Of The Decades Past

Shoe fashion is constantly evolving.

Footwear ateliers worldwide, including yours truly, work endlessly on designing new styles, and experimenting with different materials, to craft various styles of footwear that define the fashion sentiment prevalent at the moment.

Some styles go on to articulate the (fashion) mood of the season, some reflect the vibe of the year, and then there are those that mark the footwear trend of the decade. 

Like apparel fashion, shoe fashion of the past often finds its way back into the limelight every now and then. Disagree? Take into consideration the below mentioned trends that ruled the decades past and match their styles to the ones currently sitting pretty in your shoe closet!
 

1920's:

Oxfords reigned as the supreme shoe fashion of this decade, not just for men but also for women. They were meant to provide maximum comfort and support to the wearer. 

1930's:

The oxfords got an uplift (pun intended) with the addition of a small 1-1.5inch heel. Another noteworthy change to the classic oxfords during this era- was that these new heeled oxfords were available in shaded or gradient colours. A trend that had already existed in men's footwear but never in women's before.

1940's:

During this decade, the skirts got shorter, showing off the ankles, so a stronger emphasis was laid on the designing and styling of the shoe. Where the heels got higher, ankle straps over pumps were used to provide comfort and support to the feet by about three inches.

1950's:

A notable decade for shoes, it was in the '50s that the world was introduced to women's real best friends- stilettos! The iconic Italian fashion house, Salvatore Ferragamo was the first to craft a line of exquisite stilettos- a product they are, to-date, celebrated for. 

This decade was also the era during which other classic styles like the sling-backs and open toes made their debut. 

1960's:

The '60s were all about merging comfort with style! The most notable footwear trend of the decade was “Cuban heels”, which were bulky medium to high heels that were added to various shoe styles. The most popular of which were the ankle-length heeled boots. 

1970's:

With emphasis, once again on comfort, the shoe trend that ruled this decade was that of platform heels. Another style that women took a shine to was the wooden heeled clog shoes. In a nutshell, the keyword for describing the trend of the decade was - Chunky!

1980's:

This was the decade when the term "sneakerheads" was coined. And aptly so! Sneakers and canvas shoes were all the rage, as were neon colours. People couldn't get enough comfortable shoes that matched the colours of their ensembles.

1990's:

The '90s saw the reinvention of some of the most classic styles of the past. Sneakers became heavier, as did the boots, with 'combat boots' taking centre stage at the popularity contest. Dainty strappy heels had their moment of fame during this decade but were overshadowed by the more comfortable platform heels that became instant 'must haves'.

2000's:

With the advent of the millennium, footwear trends changed. Transparent straps, dad shoes, thong slippers - all came into vogue. But the style that ruled this decade was the ballerina pumps. Another style that shined was that of Uggs- (literally short for ‘Ugly’) the ultra-comfortable and warm shoes engulfed the fashion sphere in its cosiness.

2010's:

The decade that just went by saw the emergence and dominance of thigh-high boots covered in another trend that dominated the season- logomania! The giant fashion houses covered all their merchandise (including the thigh-high boots) with their logos in sequential patterns, and the public couldn't get enough of it. Pointy toed pumps was another style that was popular in this decade.

2020's:

Our New Collection.

Just kidding!

Though our collection indeed represents all of the reigning style trends of the moment! The gladiators, for example, ruled the second half of the 2010s as well and, from the looks of it, are here to stay. Another noteworthy trend that has kept all global ateliers busy is that of the square toe heel!

To remain constantly updated on what’s in vogue, stay tuned here...at the World of Tao….

Au revoir!