Figure 1.--High-top shoes appeared in the mid-19th century. Boys continued to wear high-topm shoes in the early-20th century. This German boy is all dressed up for a studio portatit, we think in the 1920s. Notice the tan or perhaps grey long stockings and high-top lace-up shoes. Both seem to have been recently purchased.

High-top over the ankle shoes were commonly worn by boys and girls during the late-19th and early 20th centuries. We do not yet have a detailed chronology, but we do not notice them in the 18th century or the early-19th century. People at the time wore boots or low-cut shoes. We do not have detailed information on the transition from low-cuts to high tops. This was not just changes in children';s shoes. Adults also wore-high-tops and as best we acn tell at about the ame time. Photography began in the 1840s, but the way children were commonly posed, we do not have a lot of portraits showing footwear. And Dags and Ambros are much rarer in Europe than America making it more difficult to fillow such fashion trends in Europe. This changed with the appearance of the CDV in the 1860s. And this seems to be about when high top shoes appeared for both men and women as well as children. We thus have a very detaile photographic record, especially in America. We have no idea at this time as to why high-tops suddenlyn appeared. We note children commonly wearing high-top shoes in the 1860s. Not all children wore high-tops, but they certainly were very common. A good example is John Schwensusen, we think in the late-60s, but they may have appeared earlier. They were the dominant shoe style in America and much of Europe during the late-19th and early-20th century High-tops were very common in the 1910s and 20s. Not all childen wore them, but many did. High-tops began to go out of style during the late-20s and early-30s. This varied from country to country. They seemed to have continued to be worn longer in Germany than many other countries.

The 18th Century

We do not yet have a detailed chronology, but we do not notice high-top shoes in the 18th century. The century is notable for buckle shoes which we believe were mostly low-cut shoes. Men might wear boots if they could afford them. Europeans peasants and workers might wear wooden shoes.

The 19th Century

We still do not see high-top shoes in the early-19th century. People at the time wore boots or low-cut shoes. There was a graual shift away fom buckle shoes which came to be seen as old fashioned, perhaps asociated with the French Revolution. It was the same basic trens which was responsible for the shift from knee breeches (associated with the French aristocacy) to mlong pants. These changes occurred in France first, but because France was sio important in fashion, spread to other countries. Peasants and workers might wear wooden hoes in Europe. A reader writes, "Jefferson started the style of laced shoes and in fact they were often called "Jefferson's" after he was the first president to wear them and which he referred to them as 'democratic' shoes. The heavy low cut buckled shoes like Washington wore became unfashionable after the French Revolution.. They were replaced by 'classical' styles including flimsy slippers which did not last long if worn outside." We do not have detailed information on the transition from low-cuts to high tops. The condition of roadways with manure and mud which were better handled by high-top shoes. Even in towns, there were often no sidewalks or very limited such amenities. This of course does not explain why high-tops appeared in the mid-19th century as this condition was a problem earlier. We do not know what indicidual or company came up with the idea of high-top shoes. This seems to have occurred at about the same time that shoe makers shifted from making 'straights' to curved/crooked an eventually left and right shoes. And then we begin to see machine made shoes which appeared durin the Civil War when sturdy footwear was needed by the armies in great number. Here the less industrailized South was never able to provide its adequately soldies needed footwear. And it was not only men that benefu=itted from these developments. A reader writes. "Women demanded better qualify shoes like men had. This was facilitated by the development of new sewing machines which produced shoes for the men fighting in the Civil War. Thus, longer lasting footwear were available for women's use. I have also read that women wanted to go outdoors more and participate in sports and the flimsy 'classical' slippers were not suitable." What is clear is that the new CDVs show high-top shoes. This was not just changes in children's shoes. Adults also wore-high-tops and as best we can tell at about the ame time. Photography began in the 1840s, but the way children were commonly posed, we do not have a lot of portraits showing footwear. And Dags and Ambros are much rarer in Europe than America making it more difficult to fillow such fashion trends in Europe. This changed with the appearance of the CDV in the 1860s. And this seems to be about when high top shoes appeared for both men and women as well as children. We thus have a very detaile photographic record, especially in America. We have no idea at this time as to why high-tops suddenly appeared. We note children commonly wearing high-top shoes in the 1860s. Not all children wore high-tops, but they certainly were very common. A good example is John Schwensusen, we think in the late-60s, but they may have appeared earlier. They were the dominant shoe style in America and much of Europe during the late-19th century. Most of the studio portraits taken in the late 19th century show children wearing button high-top shoes.

The 20th Century

We continue to see high-top shoe in the early-20th century. We see more options with strap shoes, sandals, and sneakers, but this varied from country to country. Good examples are George and Ewan McTherson in 1902. And these shoe types were often for casual play or dress up. We note school children in America, for example, mostly wearing high-tops to school. High-tops were very common in the 1910s and 20s. We see most boys and girls wearing them. Not all childen wore them, but many did. There was a shift from button to lace ups, but high-tops continud to be very popular. A good example are the shoes worn by Floyd Van Horne about 1915. High-top shoes generally passed out of style in the erly 20th century after World War I. This varied from country to country. We see younger German boys wearing them even after World War II. There were arange of different shoe styles with the high-top shoe. The sneakers which became very poular in America were all high-tops. They were widely worn through the 1920s. High-tops began to go out of style during the late-20s and early-30s in America. This occurred with adults as well. This varied somewhat from country to country. High-tops seemed to have continued to be worn longer in Germany and countries within the German fashion orbit, than many other countries. They persisted in one form even longer. This was the white high-tops worn bu infants and todlers.

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Created: 2:59 AM 12/29/2013
Last updated: 2:59 AM 12/29/2013