Figure 1.--This is one of the few images we have noted of a boy wearing the half-center strap style. The image is undated, but we would guess it was taken durung the 1950s or early 60s. The boy is probably British. We note double-bar sandals in Britain, but the "T"-strap school sandal was much more popular.

One of the major styles The other major type of closed-toe sandal is the double side bars with the center strap. This style had double horizontal straps.The other principal style are the "T" strap and the single bar "Mary Jane" style. Of course there are many variations on these basic styles. With double bar center strap had two basic variants. By far the most common style is the style with the center stap running all the way to the top cross bar. They came in a variety of colors. This style appeared in the early 20th century and is still worn.We have also noted a much less common variant in which the center strap only ran up to and was attached to the lower cross bar. While we notice double-strap sandals in the early 20th century. We only note a few instances of of the half center strap in the mid-20th century. We note it advertized in the Sears 1950 Winter catalog. It dors not appear to have been very popular or widely worn. We note very few images of boys or girls wearing this style. Nor do we note many catalog advertisements.

Full Center Strap

By far the most common style of double-bar sandals is the style with the center stap running all the way to the top cross bar. This style is so common that for many years we did not realize that there was another sttle. These sandals initially did not have gender connotations, but eventually became more associated with girls although both boys and girls wore them. This was especiallt true in America. Sandals were widely worn in Britain as a school shoe, although the single cross strap style was more common. We see the double-bar sandals in Britain, but not very commonly for boys. We see girls more commonly wearing them while "T"-strap school sandals were widely worn by both boys and girls. We are less sure about conventions in other countries. They came in various colors. This style appeared in the early 20th century. We see it being widely advertised in American duruing the early 20th century, eopecilly by the 1910s. And the style is still worn, but more by girls than boys.

Half Center Strap

We have also noted a much less common variant in which the center strap only ran up to and was attached to the lower cross bar. While we notice double-strap sandals in the early 20th century. We only note a few instances of of the half center strap in the mid-20th century. We do not knowin which countries these sandals were worn. We have seen them in America. We note it advertized in the Sears 1950 Winter catalog. We believe that they were also worn in Britain. This style, however, does not appear to have been very popular or widely worn. We note very few images of boys or girls wearing this style. Nor do we note many catalog advertisements.

Created: March 16, 2001
Last updated: 3:33 PM 7/25/2007