Have you ever wondered how your favorite fashion pieces came to be? They didn’t appear on a whim and many amazing pieces have an interesting story. For the case of these shoes, i’m going to share the story of how a group of rebellious women wore them as a sign of resistance and power. You’ve probably worn these shoes now that fashion powerhouses brought them back, but how about bringing out your inner warrior now that you’re armed with their history?
Oxford shoes were the ultimate fashion statement during the roaring twenties, and for decades they’ve been a symbol of women empowerment and resistance. As the name suggests, Oxford shoes were invented around the 1820s at the university, and if you wanted to be a trendy male student, you had to own a pair. As it was customary at the time, male fashion for footwear included heels and Oxford shoes weren’t the exception. Soon, they crossed the pond and were adopted by American men and it wasn’t long before women started eyeing those comfy shoes. But it went beyond that, women who were against the norms that restrained them, opted for wearing men’s clothes as a silent form of protest and Oxford shoes became the perfect statement for their cause.
Not only were these shoes way more comfortable for everyday activities, flappers, for instance, found them pretty stylish. Soon, new styles and colors appeared on the market and Oxford shoes were on vogue. With the start of WWII, women who now had to enter the workforce in full swing, decided to opt for these shoes since they were durable and naturally the heels disappeared.
During the Rock ‘n’ Roll era of the fifties, Oxford became to go-to shoes for rocking on the dance floor. The preferred style were the black and white patent leather ones and the outfit to go with was the obligatory puffy skirt and tight top. We now look at this style as quit vintage but you can bring it up to date with a bodycon skirt or a plain T-shirt. Oxford shoes also look great with the typical power suit and given their dynamic colors and styles, you can mix and match them.
There’s no doubt that Oxford shoes are the most dynamic shoes in the fashion world’s wardrobe and given their cool esthetic they can give a cool edge to any outfit you want. So, like many sisters before us, they found small fashion items could voice how they felt and what they believed and you can do the same. So, are you ready to embrace that rebellious soul inside you?
So, go bold!
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