Cute Vintage-y Shoes

[Miss Sis]

Have you seen some of the Aris Allen dance shoes? They are very suitable for street wear. I have the off-white mesh oxfords and the black suede rugcutters for dancing and it is all I can do to keep myself from wearing them on the street!

They are comfy, well-made, and affordable.

Interesting you think they are suitable to wear outside without resoling. I wanted to get a pair of the 30s style Aris Allens but was concerned I would have to get a cobbler to stick a leather sole over the top and that might all be a bit awkward.

Lizzie, they are nice shoes, and a good colour too. I need a pair that colour to match a handbag and gloves and I just can't get any vintage ones for love nor money, so looks like I'll have to go repro!

Oh for a major lottery windfall.......

 

[Laura Chase]

I've found these in a Norwegian webshop so they should be available in Europe! That violet colour is gorgeous ... and they would go so well with my screen name

The only problem I have with those is that the vamp is too low. But the oxfords I have in the same color suede and with the same heel are lovely and beautiful, but also a little sensitive, I have not worn them in rain and probably never will.

 

[AllaboutEve]

OK so now I find out that there are TWO shops selling these shoes on the street I work on!!!
I can't seem to find them for much less than £205.00 though so they will have to wait for now........

 

[LizzieMaine]

Lizzie,

They are beautiful, I wish the heel was just a little lower and thicker. My gait is something more like a wobble than a walk. I really need a thick heel, if I want to stay upright. I really like the color!!!!

Hi Leah,

Have you ever tried the Clinic Coquette? I have two pairs of these, black and brown, and they're my regular everyday footwear. Very comfortable, very supportive, and very durable, without looking too clunky. I recommend them every time I get the chance, and for good reason -- they're great shoes! They'll never win any glamour contests, but if you're on your feet a lot, they're a godsend.

 

[BeBopBaby]

Have you ever tried the Clinic Coquette? I have two pairs of these, black and brown, and they're my regular everyday footwear.

Lizzie,

How are the arch supports in these shoes? Also, how is the breathability? Sometimes I'm wary of shoes that have manmade insoles/foam supports because they tend to to make the breathability of the shoe not very good.

I'm looking for a more polished workhorse-type shoe that I can wear every day (no tennis shoe styling, rubber soles, etc.) for long periods of standing, walking, etc. that won't cause me to get a plantar fasciitis flair-up in my foot. (High arches + non-supportive regular shoes = reoccuring plantar fasciitis in my feet, so I have to be very careful about the shoes I wear.)

Any further advice you could provide on the shoes would be greatly appreciated! I may have to look into puchasing a pair. Thanks!

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

Oh man, unfortunately none of those are quite to my liking. But how sweet of you to offer to buy them for us!

I know, I tried them all on and wanted to like them but....not quite there.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Lizzie,

How are the arch supports in these shoes? Also, how is the breathability? Sometimes I'm wary of shoes that have manmade insoles/foam supports because they tend to to make the breathability of the shoe not very good.

I'm looking for a more polished workhorse-type shoe that I can wear every day (no tennis shoe styling, rubber soles, etc.) for long periods of standing, walking, etc. that won't cause me to get a plantar fasciitis flair-up in my foot. (High arches + non-supportive regular shoes = reoccuring plantar fasciitis in my feet, so I have to be very careful about the shoes I wear.)

Any further advice you could provide on the shoes would be greatly appreciated! I may have to look into puchasing a pair. Thanks!

Clinic got into the business making nurse's shoes, so they're all designed for people who are on their feet all the time -- so that's a definite plus. I can't speak for their other styles, but the Coquette has a *very* firm arch support -- the best I've ever come across in a shoe that didn't have an obviously orthopedic design. I also find them quite breatheable -- I can't wear fake leather/synthetic shoes because they boil my feet something awful, and even some real leather shoes are too much. But these have leather that's just thin enough to breathe while being thick enough to be durable.

I wear mine at the theatre all day most every day -- and not only am I on my feet a good part of that time, I'm also lugging beer kegs and film cans up and down four flights of stairs. Any other shoe, my feet are in agony at the end of the day, but not with these!

And of course, they are a very vintage style -- very popular with housewives in the late thirties/early forties as the "Girl Scout style comfort shoe".

The one non-vintage feature is that they do have rubber soles -- but they are dress-quality, and quite unobtrusive.

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

A gal came to the theatre last night wearing these --

those are so nice! I'm sure a girl at my swing class last night was wearing them, in black. I didn't like to ask where she got them as I already bought the other pair she has - the white mesh oxfords from Aris Allen! lol

 

[Pina Bridgette]

I'm not sure if anyone remembers these shoes I have that seem to have a distant vintage FL relative?

mine & distant Fedora Lounge relative

I just found these from Newport News! And not a bad price = $29.00 although I can't help but notice how the heel gets taller & taller

http://www.newport-news.com/shop/product_single.aspx?style_id=30270160

 

[Lovely Leah]

Going to try the Clinic Coquette

Hi Leah,

Have you ever tried the Clinic Coquette? I have two pairs of these, black and brown, and they're my regular everyday footwear. Very comfortable, very supportive, and very durable, without looking too clunky. I recommend them every time I get the chance, and for good reason -- they're great shoes! They'll never win any glamour contests, but if you're on your feet a lot, they're a godsend.

Hi Lizzie,

After reading your "reviews" of the Coquette, I am going to order a pair this weekend. Although they may not win a glamour contest, any shoe that let's me walk in comfort is a beautiful thing. For years now, I have been wearing the P.W. Minor "Trinket" and not exactly considered fashion forward by many of the fashionistas. http://www.pwminor.com/Products/Detail/?ProductID=16. I really love that shoe, but it only comes in one color, black.

 

[Miss Hattie]

Interesting you think they are suitable to wear outside without resoling. I wanted to get a pair of the 30s style Aris Allens but was concerned I would have to get a cobbler to stick a leather sole over the top and that might all be a bit awkward.

Lizzie, they are nice shoes, and a good colour too. I need a pair that colour to match a handbag and gloves and I just can't get any vintage ones for love nor money, so looks like I'll have to go repro!

Oh for a major lottery windfall.......

I want, I want, I want, those 30’s velvet oxfords (rather fancy the red ones and the white mesh) Oh and to find a modern shoe with a good period heel- so many designs of today have a good 30’s/40’s upper but then I look at the abomination of a heel- they either make them too high or are totally the wrong shape. Hay Ho (my rant over back to the dribbling over the oxfords- sigh)

As Miss Sis said it’s a shame they are suede soles- not so good for every day wear (Moan) especially in wet England! And what a palaver it would be to get them re-soled- now if they were leather soles it would be easy to get a sticker sole fitted, but alas I will just have to dream about prancing, gaily around the town in the shoes instead.

Well when my premium bonds come up I’m off to have a pair made to measure!

 

[Inky]

Interesting you think they are suitable to wear outside without resoling. I wanted to get a pair of the 30s style Aris Allens but was concerned I would have to get a cobbler to stick a leather sole over the top and that might all be a bit awkward.

My apologies, I forget that most of the rest of the planet does have actual weather. We don't have but one season here where I live. Mid 70's. Oh wait, sometimes there is fog and morning mist. It does occasionally rain in January but not every year. Wish it did.

The Aris Allens are good on the street for dry areas

 

[Miss Hattie]

Haha that’s ok- I’ll gladly send some rain over to you via Airmail if you wishlol - we have plenty here (a little more than we wanted in our house last year!)

Just showed my mum the shoes and she thinks they would be just fine with sticker soles on so watch this space!

Thanking you greatly for sharing them!

 

[Inky]

Haha that’s ok- I’ll gladly send some rain over to you via Airmail if you wishlol - we have plenty here (a little more than we wanted in our house last year!)

Just showed my mum the shoes and she thinks they would be just fine with sticker soles on so watch this space!

Thanking you greatly for sharing them!

You are most welcome. Would it be a help to you if I photographed the soles for you? I have the white mesh oxfords (the ones on sale, i don't know exactly what makes them different from the ones not on sale) and the black rug cutters. the soles are different on each of these.

i'd be happy to oblige if that helps.

 

[Miss Hattie]

Oh yes please that would be grand! So Kind

 

[Inky]

Oh yes please that would be grand! So Kind

Ask and you shall receive. I left the pictures huge so you can see detail, so I am not putting them in here and linking to them instead. For reference I also photographed a new unworn pair of remix shoes and a well-worn pair of remix shoes, in addition to the Aris Allen shoes I have. All are made in Mexico.

Here is the white mesh Oxford with a thick black suede sole. These have only been worn once to dance class and are very clean

Here are the black Aris Allen rugcutters. I have worn these three or four times, to dance class only. The sole of these is a sueded-leather but not soft suede, if that makes sense.

This is an unworn Remix shoe. Same sueded-leather sole as the rugcutters to me eye.

And finally, a well-worn Remix sandal (about half a years constant wear). Again, same sueded-leather sole.

If you have any questions, let me know. And don't mind the cat in parts in the photos, he was my helpful assistant

 

[Miss Hattie]

Ask and you shall receive. I left the pictures huge so you can see detail, so I am not putting them in here and linking to them instead. For reference I also photographed a new unworn pair of remix shoes and a well-worn pair of remix shoes, in addition to the Aris Allen shoes I have. All are made in Mexico.

Here is the white mesh Oxford with a thick black suede sole. These have only been worn once to dance class and are very clean

Here are the black Aris Allen rugcutters. I have worn these three or four times, to dance class only. The sole of these is a sueded-leather but not soft suede, if that makes sense.

This is an unworn Remix shoe. Same sueded-leather sole as the rugcutters to me eye.

And finally, a well-worn Remix sandal (about half a years constant wear). Again, same sueded-leather sole.

If you have any questions, let me know. And don't mind the cat in parts in the photos, he was my helpful assistant

Wow I wasn’t expecting them that fast- you’re an absolute STAR! Well it’s between the Velvet or Mesh oxfords for me- I might just have to take the plunge and buy a pair……Thank you once again. :eusa_clap

(I’m sure there was something I wanted to ask but I’ve forgotten- I’ll go to bed and think on it) :eusa_doh:

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

BTW, that is not what a worn Remix shoe looks like over here! Mine started to go mouldy after wearing on damp grass!

There is a shop near(ish) me called Fame of Surrey, they do the mesh Oxfords, and probably the others if you enquired - they have a site but it is non transactional.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Thanks for those sole pics -- when they said "suede soles" I was thinking of something much thinner. That doesn't look so bad.

Worth keeping in mind, too, that in the Era, people were very careful about not getting their shoes wet -- if it was raining at all, you'd wear rubbers -- either the kind that look like little booties or the simple ones that just pull over your shoe. The Tingley ladies's overshoe is a good currently-available example -- it's made for low-heel shoes, and will work fine on any broad/Cuban heel up to about 1 1/2 inches. If you wear any kind of leather-soled oxford, and you live where the weather is wet, you *need* these.

The kind of rubber overshoe with a molded high heel, is, alas, no longer made by anyone I know of, and unused originals go for beaucoup bucks on eBay.

 

[retrogirl1941]

Miss Bella Hell please clean out your inbox. I cant send you a mesage.

Samantha