Vintage Style – A 1930s Inspired Look

In a series of posts, exclusively for ‘It’s A Shoe Thing’ vintage blogger Jenny takes us through the decades, showcasing her favourite Hotter styles to suit her vintage outfits. In her third post Jenny creates a 1930s inspired look…

In the 1930s, shoes were designed so that more of the foot itself was on show. A popular style of this era is the T-Bar shoe, with the sides cut away to reveal the arch of the feet. New processes in the production of tanning leather at the end of the 1920s meant that leather could now be produced in an entire spectrum of shades and tones. Although, with economic adversity during the 1930s, leather was often substituted with fabric, which was easier to come by and more prudent.

A shoe style that blossomed in popularity during this time was the Spectator shoe. Derived from men’s Oxfords and Brogues, the Spectator featured striking two-tone colour combinations.

As the idea of leisure time became popular, this in turn filtered into fashion. Perforations found on Brogues became a decorative style feature, and whilst they were no longer required to be functional, they provided pleasing visual interest.

These Sandy shoes are a wonderful 1930s inspired shoe – the bold two tone colours, t-bar strap, open shank and perforations perfectly emulate the era. The block heel provides a steady base, whilst retaining a period 1930s feel – and they are comfortable to walk in of course!

To create my 1930s look, I paired Sandy with a 1930s style dress. Popular style features of this era to look out for are – bias cut skirts hitting knee length or below with a sleek silhouette, ensuring the waist sits in its natural position, widening the shoulders with small shoulder pads, and volume in the sleeves.The general silhouette of the 1930s was long and streamlined, this was often enhanced with geometric design details – sunbeam pleating insets in skirts, long pointed collars, diamond shaped belt buckles to name but a few. I completed the look with a vintage hat in a matching shade of mustard, knitted shawl, and vintage gloves, bag and spectacles.

The yellow tone of Sandy would look great paired with navy blues, clear primary colours; or to go for a tonal look opt for shades of brown with tweeds and linens. Sandy are also available in a gorgeous muted two-tone pink, and a versatile black, so whichever colour choice you prefer there will be a Sandy perfect for you!

Shop Now

 

About Jenny…

Jenny Mearns from vintage fashion blog https://missjennyfrances.wordpress.com/ is a historical fashion consultant, writer and lingerie designer.

Her love of clothing often sees her wearing her own creations and designs. When not in her sewing and design studio, she can be found  along the seafront admiring the views of the South coast.