Today's post Men’s 1950s Shoes Styles- Classics to Saddles to Rockabilly from VintageDancer.com.
Two tone shoes
1954 Jarman Casual Shoes
The 1950s expanded on the trend of “American informal” fashion. This comfortable new look encouraged everything from hats to shoes to slim down, loosen up and mix up color and texture. For men’s 1950s shoes that meant classic men’s footwear such as oxfords, loafers and boots were modified to include thicker soles but a narrower silhouette, offered in primary colors such as blue, green, and grey, and in textures such as reptile skin, suede, woven leather, mesh and heavy fabrics. None of these details were new to footwear but when combined with each other created a decade of casual sophistication.
1950s Mens Oxford Shoes
1955 mens dress shoes
The lace up dress shoe that had been every man’s staple since the turn of the century was still the leading footwear style of the 1950s. The 1950s versions incorporated previous decades styles as well as some new variations.
Men’s 1950s dress oxfords, derby or bluchers (what’s the difference?) had a smooth body or were perforated with a simple toe cap, moc toe, or elaborate wingtip design. Medium brown was the most versatile color while dark brown or back were options as well. Soles matched the body color in either leather or rubber.
Full lacing was the most traditional but more and more men in the 1950s preferred the minimal two lace closure. It made this classic shoe much more streamlined and faster to tie.
Two tone two lace shoes
Among dress shoes there was also a full slip on shoe that did not have any laces. Instead panels of elastic lined the inside stretching open to slip the shoe on easily and close up tight to keep it in place. The lack of laces made them the most un-decorated of men’s 1950s dress shoe styles.
As for casual style oxfords there were many more choices that experiment with color, texture and design elements.
1950s Men’s Saddle Shoes
Young man in saddle shoes
The black and white saddle oxfords had been in style since the 1920s yet everyone associates them with the 1950s. Both women and men teenagers and college kids favored these comfortable shoes that had to be kept perfectly clean and un-worn. Older generations also wore them, usually in brown and white combinations instead. Some dressier versions also came in brown on brown, brown on tan, or any other two shades of the same color. Learn more about the history of 1950s saddle shoes.
1950s Men’s Two Tone shoes
1952 two tone cap toe, wingtip and saddle shoes
Saddle shoes were not the only two tone men’s shoes. For most of the 1930s and 1940s two tone oxfords in brown and white were worn with both dress and casual clothing. The 1950s continued the trend with two tone wingtips, cap toes and moc top styles. I noticed there are greater amounts of white on 1950s two tone shoes than previous decades. Also the black and white two tone oxford was more common in the 1950s.
Two tone shoes mixed with other shoes styles as well such as penny loafers, tassel loafers, boat shoes, two lace dress shoes, and occasionally boots.
Thom McAn 1950s mens two tone shoes
A very popular two tone look was not two colors of leather but two contrasting materials on one shoe. Especially in summer, men’s shoes combined leather and mesh or smooth leather and perforated leather for breath-ability. The leather was usually darker than the inset mesh or in a different color entirely. Blue or green with grey mesh was trendy. Brown on tan was the most versatile. White on white was ideal at the summer seaside.
1952 men’s leather and mesh combined shoes
In winter two types of materials were mixed to create a similar look. Leather was combined with heavy wool fabric (waterproof too), or mixed with suede, embossed leather, reptile or other thick textures. The mixing of smooth and rough textures and shade of colors is very iconic of 1950s men’s shoe styles.
1950s Men’s Blue Suede Shoes
Combining a “new” color as well as texture introduced the blue suede shoe. Suede oxfords came in other vibrant colors too such as hunter green, sky blue, smoky grey and chocolate brown. Blue was the most popular color for oxfords, slip on loafers, saddle shoes, and pretty much any other kind of casual shoe.
Why blue? Long before Carl Perkins wrote the famous “Blue Suede Shoes” sung by Elvis there was an explosion of blue shoes for sale in the early 1950s. It was during this time that Perkins overheard a young man say sometime like “stay off my blue suede shoes” to his girlfriend. Suede is difficult to keep clean. Being stepped on left a dust mark that was unacceptable to fashionable young persons. Years later Perkins was reminded of this incident and wrote his hit song about it. At the time neither Perkins nor Elvis owned a pair of blue suede shoes. Elvis did buy one pair after the huge success of the song to wear on stage. There was a small revival of blue suede shoes in the late 1950s because of the hit song.
Back to my original question, why blue? I have yet to find the answer but I am determined to do so.
Nubucks and Crepe Soles
1958 red sole white nubucks
On college campuses, students and faculty favored white nubucks with red rubber soles in summer. Nubucks or just ‘bucks were popular summer shoes for most of the 1920s onward. Similar to suede, the finish was a sanded leather making them more durable than soft suede shoes. They could come in various shades of light brown but in summer they had to be white or ivory.
The red rubber sole was a new look in 1950s shoes. They were usually combined with saddle shoes, nubucks, and other casual oxfords in light colors. The blast of red stood out, calling attention to men’s footwear. The rebellious youth loved anything that was new, different and bold.
1956 crepe sole casual shoes
Less bold but certainly different was a new kind of sole- the crepe sole. It was a thick natural colored nuby rubber sole paired with casual oxfords, loafers and sport shoes. Some boots like the Chukka had them too. The rubber made them comfortable to walk in, durable, and no-slip. Knock off designs featured a dense foam cushion with classic crepe groves on the sole.
Just like the red colored sole, natural colored crepe soles had to contrast with the shoe body to stand out. Chocolate brown, blue, grey or matching tan shoes were the best choices.
Reptile Skins and Western Prints
1951 western shoe with embossed leather and silk buckle
Suede and nubuck was popular because of the rough texture and anything with texture was in fashion in the 1950s. Reptile skin, which had been used during the war years as an alternative to leather, returned to fashion in the 1950s. Big skin prints were favored over smaller skins. Alligator print were the most common skin both real and fake.
Similar to reptile skin were embossed leather shoes. These were most associated with Western style men’s shoes or California ranch style. Some had silver monk strap buckles to mimic Western belt buckles. Embossed patterns could be Western themes or native american prints.
Western boots remained popular for cowboys or those who choose to dress like California ranchers. Boots had decorative shafts, block heels and sharp pointy toes. Tone on tone colors were more popular in the 1950s whereas early decades mixed bright red, white and silver into flashy designs worthy of a rodeo star.
1955 men’s Western boots
1950s Men’s Loafers
1955 black tassel loafer
Moving away from casual lace up oxfords men pursued more ease and comfort with a loafer. Loafer styles could be the ‘40s classic penny loafer, tasseled loafer, moccasin or elastic slip-on. Men’s loafers could easily be slipped into without the need to tie them. They were the ultimate casual shoe that was quickly replacing lace up dress shoes in most fashion settings.
1957 penny loafers
The classic penny loafer remained popular in the 1950s as it had been in the 1940s without much change. Brown or black penny loafers were worn on college campuses (with crepe soles), with summer sport clothing and with semi-casual sport coats and blazers. The dressed down look that dominated most 1950s men’s fashion paired very well with slip on loafers.
The tasseled slip on loafer was a big new hit with all men. It came with a light weight single sole, leather body or leather mixed with suede or reptile prints with two tassels tied and dangling on top. The tassels gave the loafer a bit more elegance and more versatility to crossover into men’s business wear.
Tassels originally appeared on moccasin style boat shoes which were still in fashion in the 1950s.
Men’s House Slippers
The slip-on shoe continued to be worn at home in the form of house slippers. Most men cast off whatever shoe they were wearing during the day and put on a pair of house slippers to wear for the remainder of their day. Smooth, plain, leather slippers with deep notches on the sides were the most common. Many had elastic between the notches for a better fit. The plainness of the slipper contrasts heavily against flashy day time shoes. Even men needed a break from forward thinking fashion sometimes.
1954 Men’s house slippers
Men’s 1950s Sport Shoes
1953 Aldens version of a Converse “Chucks” All Star Sneaker
The high top Converse “Chucks” sport shoe in the classic black and white combination was released in 1949. It was the professional sport shoe choice for basketball and baseball players and most high school and college sports as well. To wear them in school was a status symbol either as athlete or Rebel. They were a favorite of the most notable rebel James Dean.
In 1957 the low cut Converse All Star was introduced to appeal to the mass market of kids already wearing “sneakers” as daily wear. They were very well received. Converse dominated 80% of all sport shoes sales in the 1950s.
1950s Men’s Sandals
1951 Men’s Sandals
Men’s sandal styles remained unchanged from recent decades. All leather woven all over the toe with a T strap and side buckle. The weave could be tight like earlier years but the ‘50s style favored a larger weave with more space in between layers for breathability. Instead of a weave some had large cutouts in the toe box.
Sandals were worn with socks (oh the horror!) and were not very popular yet as a shoe choice, even in summer.
Rebel Shoes- Rockabilly Shoes
1956 Engineer Boots or Motorcycle boots
For rebellious youths who would eventually inspire rockabilly fashion today the choices of footwear were vastly different than the classic styles listed above. With the exception of Converse sneakers rebels looked for unique shoes not readily available on the mass market.
Boots, were one such shoe style that most men avoided unless it was for a labor job. Boots were not fashion, they were practical, necessary and designed specifically to a task.
Motorcycle boots protected men’s feet and legs from road grime. They were called Engineer boots and were originally designed for firemen working the railroads shoveling coal into hot burners. The boots were a cross between logger boots and riding boots with a tall shaft and a belt and buckle around the ankle and on the upper outside shaft. It was the perfect boot for motorcycle riders since there were no laces to get caught in moving parts. Since rebels road motorcycles they became associated with delinquent youth and now Rockabilly fans.
Chukka Boots & Brothel Creepers
1956 Chukka Boots
The other unusual young men’s boot of the 1950s was the Chukka boot. They were inspired from desert military boots worn during WW2 in North Africa. They are ankle heigh boots made of suede or leather with a two or three hole lacing. The soles were a thick rubber crepe that protected the foot from hot sand.
When young men returned from war they continued to wear these very comfortable boots and civilians bought up surplus stock and began wearing them too. Shoe designers took note of the trend and created new shoes designs with a crepe sole.
1950s Creepers- Lace up and monk strap styles
Teddy Boys wearing Creepers
Across the pond the crepe sole shoe was adopted by British rebels, Teddy Boys. Renamed Brothel Creepers or just creepers after where Teddy Boys were known to gather they featured extra thick crepe soles and a low cut suede upper such as an oxford, loafer and monk strap design. One classic design feature two D rings for lace holes and a woven check pattern set within a moccasin top. Black was the most common color.
The Brothel Creeper mixed design elements with American Rock ‘n Roll rebel shoes to form blends of the two styles. Each shoe designer put their own spin on it in an effort to appeal to the growing youth market. They have continued to be part of underground culture adding new designs mixed from the past. In can be tricky to figure out what styles are authentic 1950s creepers and which ones are from the 1970s or 1980s.
1950s Chelsea Boot
1955 Chelsea Boot
In 1956 the Australian bush boat was featured in Esquire magazine. It was a smooth, slim, half boot with no laces, only two elastic side panels. It hadn’t been popular since the turn of the century yet here is was again. It would be later called the Chelsea boot and would become an icon of 1960s men’s fashion.
Continuing into the 1960s men’s shoes embraced the slim ankle boot, monk straps and pointy toe winkelpicker. Each starting its history in the 1950s but didn’t hit mass market until the mid 1960s.
These are not all of the styles of men’s shoes but are the most common ones worn by middle class men on a daily basis. Just like today there were trendy brands and design styles that came in and out of fashion for a few years. If you grew up in the 1950s your probably remember some you wore. Leave a comment and tell us about them below.
New 1950s Men’s Style Shoes
While vintage 1950s men’s shoes are still easy to buy in vintage and antique stores and website like etsy.com and ebay.com you can also find most styles of 1950s shoes made new today. They may not be exact replicas of vintage 1950s men’s shoes but the cut, colors, and styles are similar enough for most men’s needs. Check out all the men’s 1950s style shoes I have found online:
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Cole Cap Toe Oxford
$200.00
Aris Allen Mens 1950s Black and White Wingtip Dance Shoe
$84.95
Burberry - Gennie Black Womens Lace up casual Shoes
$595.00
Giorgio Brutini - Caster BlackWhite Mens Lace Up Wing Tip Shoes
$79.00
Mens Creeper-608
$76.95
Stacy Adams - Madison Blue Suede Mens Lace Up Cap Toe Shoes
$125.00
Stacy Adams - Garrison CognacTaupe Mens Lace Up Wing Tip Shoes
$90.00
Stacy Adams - Dayton - Wingtip Black w White Mens Shoes
$100.00
Stacy Adams - Dayton BlackWhite Mens Lace Up Wing Tip Shoes
$130.00
Messico - Capuchino TanWhite Leather Mens Dress Flat Shoes
$139.00
Handmade Light Brown Italian Leather Wingtip Dress Shoes
$269.00
Stacy Adams - Galletti BlackWhite Mens Lace Up Wing Tip Shoes
$90.00
Italian Handcrafted Two-tone Wingtip Oxford Shoes
$462.00
Two-Tone Italian Handcrafted Leather Wingtip Oxford Shoes
$554.00
Kenneth Cole Reaction - Desert Sun Dark Brown Mens Lace-up Boots
$98.00
Mens Sebago Conrad Penny Loafer - Dark Brown Waxy Leather Penny Loafers
$149.95
Mens Sebago Conrad Penny Loafer - Navy CrackedDistressed Leather Penny Loafers
$149.95
Stacy Adams Mens Sedgwick Cap Toe Oxford Shoes Navy Leather - 11.5 M
$89.99
Stacy Adams Mens Sedgwick Cap Toe Oxford Shoes Black Leather - 12.0 M
$89.99
Black and White Wing Tip Spectators by Paul Malone . 100% Leather
Stacy Adams - Stanbury Wingtip Oxford Cognac Mens Lace Up Wing Tip Shoes
$90.00
Stacy Adams - Stanbury Wingtip Oxford Black Mens Lace Up Wing Tip Shoes
$90.00
Stacy Adams - Stanbury Wingtip Oxford Navy Mens Lace Up Wing Tip Shoes
$90.00
Stacy Adams - Stockwell Wingtip Oxford Black Mens Lace Up Wing Tip Shoes
$90.00
Classic Dirty Buck
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