The Great Vintage Shoe Search

One of the first things I noticed when shopping for antique clothes is how few 1930s and 1940s shoes there are waiting to be snapped up.

My shoe dilemma has turned into a problem because my old, white Oxford leather brogues are falling to bits.

To be honest, the brogues were always a substitute till the real thing came along.

They were a slightly embarrassing fudge because they are 5-year-old replicas… and clearly are NOT the real McCoy.

But for a while they worked as period style footwear, if you didn’t look at them too closely.

Now I need to get my act together and find anything decent to replace them as a large hole has appeared in the sole. They also leak badly.

My preferred choice of footwear would be original 1930s brogues in two-tone leather but these are almost impossible to find unless you have a very large bank account. Check out specialist auction houses if you do!

The other option is to find a decent modern replica. A couple of years ago the high street was awash with trendy, flat brogues but now they seem to have done a disappearing act. Fashions come and go especially in the current age of ‘fast fashion’.

Photograph – The 1940s Home Front – Beamish vintage styles at Beamish Museum including military shoes and uniforms.

It occurred to me that the shortage might be down to the fact that in the 1930s and ’40s most people wore their shoes till they’d them worn out.

When their shoes were completely trashed, they chucked them in the rubbish bin… or wore them till they fell apart.

It was only the rich who had the luxury of owning numerous pairs of shoes which they wore a couple of times before getting bored by them.

These are the shoes which are more likely to turn up at fashion auctions or in museum collections.

It’s unlikely that I’ll find any original hobnailed boots which would’ve been worn into the ground – although I did see some at Beamish Museum.

Photographs – Modern revival copies of brogues and strapped shoes.

But this wasn’t helping my shoe dilemma so I started trawling the internet to find anything which might do the job.

The best option seems to be to buy a decent revival pair of shoes from a vintage style shop or online dealer in replicas.

But a word of warning. Some designs look less authentic than others. Beware of plastic soles or modernised versions of classic styles.

Photographs – M&S modern brogues and ASOS replicas.

The latest fashion ‘faux pas’ and abomination is a brogue style shoe with a thick platform sole. Greta Garbo meets The Selecter meets Doc Martens.

Not right at all in my view! Stylish for today but hardly vintage revival.

Recently I’ve discovered a Scandinavian company called Memery which specialises in high quality vintage replace shoes and boots. They cater for both men and women, focusing mainly on the 1930s and ’40s.

Photograph – Memery’s vintage revival shoes and boots.

Memery also sells “Vegan Shoes” which is an expanding market place for vegetarians and eco-warriors.

They have some lovely styles and the quality is high but I was hoping for something slightly cheaper than £170. I want to be able to wear them in a muddy field at a vintage event or steam show!

There are a few promising advertisers on Facebook like Re-Mix Classic Vintage Footwear Sellers Group, but they don’t always have a range of sizes.

Photograph – Re-Mix Classic Vintage Footwear Sellers Group shoes.

Another option is to order from the USA or other European countries especially online sites.

But the problem for me is that Iike to “try before I buy” – and American sizings don’t always work for me.

The sizings are sometimes ‘lost in translation’… and they can be tricky to return in the post and get a refund.

After two hours of internet browsing, I still have no shoes and no idea what to do next…

I’m thinking that Pinterest might be a good place for inspiration and ideas.

Archive photographs with authentic shoe styles might be another good place to start… or perhaps I should learn how to be a cobbler and make my own!