Women's casual footwear styles from the summer of 1959

 

✯ Day 158 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

There is much to be said in favour of a stunning pair of heels, chicer than the day is long, exquisitely tailored and, as is so often the case with gorgeous footwear, lip-bitingly painful to wear after about thirty seconds.

Like many a vintage fashionista, I've paid my dues when it comes to logging scores of days in such shoes, however there's no rule (despite what shows like Sex in the City might have you believe) that says footwear needs to be painful to lovely or functional.

While it's jolly fun to imagine yesteryear women sashaying around town in Dior heels all the live long day, reality is that most women (perhaps even more so in the 40s and 50s then now) had a shoe wardrobe that included a good mix of practical styles, as well as shoe-stopping pairs.

In the former category, back during the summer of 1959, one could easily have found numerous pairs to love - and adorn their feet with - amongst the styles up for offer in this cheerful page from that season's Montgomery Ward catalog.

 

These styles - each of which could easily have been plucked from a modern day shoe store - are a testament to the fact that summertime footwear can definitely be both easy on the soles and wonderfully fashionable at the same time.

From a darling floral print kitten heel (if you don't already own a pair, I highly suggest investing in some kitten heels, they're often very easy to wear and walk in for hours on end) to chambray blue t-strap flats, fiery lipstick red slip-on deck style shoes to zigzag print wedges, all of the styles on this page would have been highly versatile choices for the fashionable woman of the late 1950s.

And nothing has changed in that regard over the last six decades. Each of these looks is still a smart buy, cheery style, and delightful way to get a lot of mileage out of your summertime shoes.

Turn to images like this great old school catalog page (which hails from Flickr user CapricornOneVintage) the next time you head out to do some vintage shoe shopping and you're bound to come home with the kind of winning styles that will look every bit as lovely today as they did in 1959.

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with these gorgeous vintage inspired peep-toe pumps

✯ Day 74 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

Just because St. Patty's Day is one of those holidays - much like Valentine's Day and Halloween - that we don't get off from work (seriously, why not? We're so starved for statutory holidays over here in North America!), doesn't mean it isn't every bit as worthy of celebrating as say those we do.

Whether you're veins course with Irish blood or you merely embrace the Irish spirit for a day on March 17th, St. Pat's is one of those good times, have a blast, cheer with the best of them holidays that is definitely further enhanced by the wearing of verdant hues that instantly call to mind the pastoral landscape of Ireland (trust me, I lived in Ireland for two years, they really are that green!), meadows blossoming with clover (shamrocks), and the emerald band that appears in the Irish flag.

If however, you're not too keen on kitschy shamrock shaped glasses, comically oversized stovepipe hats, and novelty t-shirts soliciting smooches because you're Irish, fear not, it's still entirely possible to go green on St. Patrick's Day in a way that would make any Irishman's heart swell with pride.

Personally, I stick with my usual vintage style, however I make sure to reach for pieces in hues of green and gold. The thought hit me the other day however, that I don't currently own any green vintage shoes!

Given that we’re just two days away at this point, it may be too late to remedy that issue for this St. Patty's Day. However, I found a pair online that would look ravishing on absolutely any March 17th!

Cut in a sleek, sophisticated style that instantly calls to mind similar shoes from the 1940s and 50s, these classy Nina Culver peep-toe pumps - in a shade called Apple Green - are so gorgeous you'll want to sport them on St. Pat’s Day and all 364 other days of the year, too!

Made of satin, featuring a lovely crossed band section over the toe area, and a 2.25 inch heel, these feminine green pumps cost $79.95 and are available from Zappos in ladies full and half sizes in 5-11.

They would look ravishing paired with shades of brown, ivory, cream, white, rust, teal, navy, denim, black, and peach (to name but a few), and would definitely show your of Irish spirit if you wore them on St. Patrick's Day (and if you ask, me they're worthy of a kiss from a fine Irish gent far more than any t-shirt! ).