Saddle shoes

[lolly_loisides]

I am looking to buy a pair of saddle shoes, but I have a question perhaps you ladies can help me with.

I am very hard on my shoes, particularly the heels. I wear them down very quickly. I have decided to only invest in shoes that are repairable by a cobbler, so I can buy better quality shoes and keep them going. I have access to a cobbler who does good work very inexpensively. I have a lot of foot problems, and am trying to avoid surgery so I am buying good quality shoes and keeping them going.

Most of the saddle shoes I have seen have a solid rubber sole/heel.

Can a cobbler replace such a sole/heel? Can they somehow just cut off the heel and replace that? Should I take them to the cobbler first thing to have a better heel put on them?

Muffy's sell leather soled saddle shoes

 

[sheeplady]

Muffy's sell leather soled saddle shoes

Thank you so much! That is exactly the type of thing I was hoping for- I didn't think to look at leather soled ones!

Thanks again!

 

[RodeoRose]

Coral vs. White Soles

Hello ladies,

I'm saving up for a pair of Muffy's, and there's something I'm curious about... in terms of eras, when were the white soles popular and when were the coral soles popular? It can be hard to tell in the old black-and-white photos just what colors the soles are .

Thanks!

 

[LizzieMaine]

Coral/Red soles were the original style -- they go back to when saddles were first introduced as an athletic shoe around the turn of the century, and they were the most common style right thru the saddle fad of the late thirties and early forties. White soles first show up in the Sears catalogue as an alternative style in the Spring-Summer 1938 edition, which would indicate they were on the market as early as the summer of 1937 -- which was right in the heart of the saddle-shoe craze. So either type of sole would be correct for the Era -- just a matter of personal preference.

 

[RodeoRose]

Thank you, Lizzie, that's just what I wanted to know! (Though unfortunately, choosing a color will be even harder now lol)

 

[SheBear74]

I have some black and white Bass saddles but I am not all that happy with the fit. If I leave the inserts in then the heel slips, even with those little heel insert thingies. I did find these on ebay for 5 dollars. They are 8N and I wear a 7.5, they are a little snug but I think they are pretty cute.

 

[Wire9Vintage]

Awesome saddles there SheBear! And what a bargain! Good job!

 

[SheBear74]

My 16 year old son just got these in today. Another ebay purchase.

 

[ColeV48]

I've been trying to contact Muffy's about ordering a pair, but there's been no response to email and no one has picked up the phone. Are they usually a little difficult to reach or should I just persist and assume they're out of town/busy?

 

[betty amazing]

I did find this really cute tutorial on turning a boring-old pair of brogues into some adorable white/red saddle shoes a little while ago - not very practical, but quite imaginative I think! I'd never really thought about customising my shoes before x

 

[RodeoRose]

That's so cute, Betty Amazing! I've had this tutorial for making saddle shoes out of Keds bookmarked for a while... such a cheap, easy way to spruce up my canvas beach sneaks.

 

[betty amazing]

They're much more stylish that way! x

 

[leymanalff]

Payless.com sell them.

 

[kamikat]

That's so cute, Betty Amazing! I've had this tutorial for making saddle shoes out of Keds bookmarked for a while... such a cheap, easy way to spruce up my canvas beach sneaks.

That's brilliant! I find my saddle shoes to be too hot in the summer but Keds are perfect.

 

[SheBear74]

That's so cute, Betty Amazing! I've had this tutorial for making saddle shoes out of Keds bookmarked for a while... such a cheap, easy way to spruce up my canvas beach sneaks.

Oh my gravy! That's such a cool idea!!!

Ummm wait a second... I could do those in pink too???

 

[Lenore]

Oh my gravy! That's such a cool idea!!!

Ummm wait a second... I could do those in pink too???

I was thinking eggplant myself.

 

[Vera Godfrey]

That's so cute, Betty Amazing! I've had this tutorial for making saddle shoes out of Keds bookmarked for a while... such a cheap, easy way to spruce up my canvas beach sneaks.

Eep! What a fantastic idea!! I see lots of white keds and a rainbow pack of sharpies in my future

 

[sheeplady]

Would you ladies wear a hat with saddles? What about gloves?

In some ways, I can picture some hats (straw in particular) being worn with saddles with a nice dress or skirt. The same with gloves. But on the other hand, saddles seam a bit like sneakers to me and a little dressed down to wear with gloves.

I'm pretty sure though that I remember seeing pictures in the everyday women of the golden era thread of ladies wearing saddle shoes with hats and gloves. I really can't see a lady of the era going to a picnic in heels anymore than I can see a lady of the era going to a picnic in without a hat and gloves.

So, I'm more curious about your view: would you wear gloves and a hat with your saddle shoes?

 

[LizzieMaine]

Saddles were most commonly worn, as you say, in very informal settings -- and if a hat was worn, it'd be something equally informal, nothing fancy with a veil or anything like that. A summer straw hat or a simple sporty felt hat would be appropriate, anything to keep the sun off your eyes. You might wear gloves with a sporty outfit in the fall, but I wouldn't expect them in the spring or summer.

College girls, who were the staunchest wearers of saddles wouldn't have been caught dead in hats or gloves -- unless they went to Smith or Wellesley.

If the picnic/event was something formal enough to require a hat and gloves, like a church social event, you'd probably not be wearing saddles in the first place. Light-colored, low-heeled mesh oxfords would be more appropriate. If it was just a casual family event, saddles would be fine, and you can leave the gloves in the drawer.

I think the best way to see how informal summer clothes were worn in the Era is to look at the various amateur films of crowds at the New York World's Fair that are circulating around the Internet. A good number of the women in those crowds wore neither hats nor gloves -- they were out to have fun, not to be Seen.

 

[sheeplady]

Saddles were most commonly worn, as you say, in very informal settings -- and if a hat was worn, it'd be something equally informal, nothing fancy with a veil or anything like that. A summer straw hat or a simple sporty felt hat would be appropriate, anything to keep the sun off your eyes. You might wear gloves with a sporty outfit in the fall, but I wouldn't expect them in the spring or summer.

Well, it's good to know that part of my instincts were at least somewhat correct. Thank you Lizzie, fount of knowledge!