Figure 1.--.
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Figure 1.--. |
American boys mostly wore oxford leather shoes. Leather shoes were worn much more commonly than is the case today. Some specialized styles were worn. Until the late 1960s, boys in highschool might wear saddle shoes. Loafers were also popular, both penny loafers and barrel loafers. Very young boys might wear closed-toe sandals, but unlike England they were not common. School age boys, however, did not wear them. The canvas shoes which appeared in the 1920s grew in popularity. Boys liked to wear sneakers and the ubiquitos Keds of the 1950s gave way in in the 1950s to more varied styles. Many popular new brands appeared such as Converse. Keds no longer dominated thevmarket and were in fact began to be looked down on by many boys. White sneakers were now in style.
Some of the major shoe types worn in the 1960s included the following.
American boys mostly wore oxford leather shoes. Leather shoes were worn much more commonly than is the case today.
Until the late 1960s, boys in highschool might wear saddle shoes. Both black and dark-blue saddles were popular. This was a style worn by both boys and girls. The conventions for wearing saddle shoes and the ages of the boys wearing them varied greatly over time. Saddle shoes in the 1960s were not commonly worn or associated with little boys. For some reason in the late 1960s all of a sudden boys stopped wearing saddle shoes. I'm not sure why this sudden fashion shift ocurred.
Loafers were also popular, both penny loafters and barrel loafers. Penny loafers in particular were important compnent of the preppy style. The preferred colors were dark brown or cordovan. Boys would wear khaki, dark blue, or gray slacks and a
button-down collar oxford cloth shirt of a pastel color and crew socks of a matching pastel color. Shirt and socks HAD to be of
matching pastel colors. Penny loafers were worn bu both boys and girls, but only boys wore barrel loafers.
Very young boys might wear closed-toe sandals, but unlike England they were not common. School age boys, however, did not wear them. Open toe sandals might be worn to some extent in California, but were virtually unknown in the rest of America.
The canvas shoes which appeared in the 1920s grew in popularity. Boys liked to wear sneakers and the ubiquitos Keds of the 1950s gave way in in the 1950s to more varied styles. Many popular new brands appeared such as Converse. Keds no longer dominated thevmarket and were in fact began to be looked down on by many boys. White sneakers were now in style. One important "boyhood clothing
commandments" prevailed from that time. For example,
with tennis shoes only white crew socks could be worn,
never ever dark socks.
Some clothing was pecifically associated with certain clothing styles. The popular preppy look of the mid-1960s involved "penny loafers", and with them khaki, dark blue, or gray slacks and a
button-down collar oxford shirt of a pastel color
(usually blue, yellow, or pink; pink seems a little
odd for the time, but we did) and crew socks of a
matching pastel color. Shirt and socks HAD to be of
matching pastel colors.
Even more strongly associated with footwear was specific types of socks. Pastel socks matching your shirt were popular with penny loafers. Other "boyhood clothing
commandments" prevailed from that time. For example,
with tennis shoes only white crew socks could be worn,
never ever dark socks. That would be a nerd's choice!
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