United States First Communion Outfits: Garments--Footwear


Figure 1.--This First Communion portrait is undated, but we would guess the 1910s. The brother and sisister apparently did their First Communion on the same day. Perhaps they were just photographed together, but notice both have missals and rosaries. The girl wears a junior wedding gown. Her older brother wears a dark Norfolk knickers suit. Both children wear very similar black strap shoes. Strap shoes were less common for boys in American than Europe. The portrait is undated, but we would guess was taken about 1920. It has a brown paper frame, but the studio imprint is impossible to read.

We see a range of footwear worn with First Communion suits. Footwear for First Communion has varied over time. We do not have much information on the 19th century, but see mostly dark high-top shoes. We know much more about the 20th century and see varied footwear. In the early-20th century when formal First Communion outfits began to become popular, as least as far as we can tell by the photographic record, we see boys mostly wearing high-top shoes. As early as the 1910s we see boys commonly wearing low-cut oxfords and these were the dominant footwear by the 1920s. And by this time we see substantial divergences for boys and girls. We see some boys wearing strap shoes but these were much more common for girls and rarely seen with boys after the mid-20s. The shoes were usually black. When boys began wearing white outfits, we begin to see white shoes as well. An option here were saddle shoes as they were mostly white. This continued into the 60s. At first we see boys wearing white strap shoes and oxfords, but after the mid-20s we see mostly oxfords. Many girls wore strap shoes, but they were less common for the boys. The girls wore both black and white strp shoes. The black shoes were worn even though their First Communion outfits were white junior wedding dresses. Even after First Communion suits began to become less common and more informal in the 60s, boys continued wearing leather oxfords.

Fotwear Types

We see boys wearing a range of footwear worn with First Communion suits. We were high-top and low cut oxfords. We also see specialized types like strap saddles shoes. They appeared basiclly with chronological changes in footwear styles. Boys wore formal styles or at their best shoes. This continued into the 70s when we begin to see more informal First Communion outfits. As high-tops declined in popularity, we see boys wearing strap shoes and oxfords, but after the mid-20s we see mostly oxfords. Boys wore many different types of oxfords, mostly lace up conservatively styled ones. Here there were a range of styles. Many girls wore strap shoes, but they were less common for the boys. We are unsure why saddle shoes became so popular for boys. They were initially sport shoes for teenagers and young men. We suspect that they wre a mostly white shoe that could be worn for other occassions. The girls wore both black and white strap shoes. The black shoes were worn even though their First Communion outfits were white junior wedding dresses. Even after First Communion suits began to become less common and more informal in the 70s, boys continued wearing leather oxfords.

Chronology

Footwear for First Communion has varied over time. We do not have much information on the 19th century, but see mostly dark high-top shoes. We know much more about the 20th century and see varied footwear. In the early-20th century when formal First Communion outfits began to become popular, as least as far as we can tell by the photographic record, we see boys mostly wearing high-top shoes. As early as the 1910s we see boys commonly wearing low-cut oxfords and these were the dominant footwear by the 1920s.

Gender

And by this time we see substantial divergences for boys and girls. We see some boys wearing strap shoes but these were much more common for girls and rarely seen with boys after the mid-20s.

Color

The shoes were usually black. When boys began wearing white outfits, we begin to see white shoes as well. An option here were saddle shoes as they were mostly white.






HBC






Navigate the Historic Boys' First Communion pages:
[Return to the Main U.S. First Communion garment page]
[Return to the Main U.S. First Communion page]
[Return to the Main First Communion page]
[Return to the Renewals]
[Argentina] [Belgium] [Canada] [England] [France] [Germany] [Ireland] [Mexico] [Spain] [Switzerland]



Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction] [Activities] [Biographies] [Chronology] [Clothing styles] [Countries]
[Bibliographies] [Contributions] [Essays] [FAQs] [Glossaries] [Images] [Links] [Registration] [Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]



Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web chronological pages:
[The 1920s] [The 1930s] [The 1940s] [The 1950s] [The 1960s] [The 1970s]



Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web style pages:
[Short pants suits] [Blazers] [Jackets] [Kilts]
[Sailor suits] [Sailor hats]
[Ring bearer/page costumes] [Shortalls] [Long stockings] [Strap shoes]




Created: 11:42 PM 3/1/2010
Last edited: 7:07 PM 4/30/2013