Probably circa 1995 at the oldest, this pair of Oxford style shoes was a thrift store find somewhere around Mundelein, Illinois. The pretty insoles were added when the insides began to fall apart. In fact, these shoes fell apart almost soon as I bought them, and have been through many repairs -- I paid about $8 for the shoes at the store, and have spent at least $70 in repairs on them to date. First the Chicago Art Institute did in the original heels, then plodding around in France wore holes through the soles, then rainy Scotland combined with those holes got the shoes soaked all through and in need of some major refurbishment (this photo was taken of the shoes fresh as I got them back from the shoe repair.)
Thing is, a good pair of heeled SHOES (not pumps or sandals or those ghastly peep-toes) is hard to find these days. An Edwardian-looking pair even moreso (compare to the shoe in this old feature.) The idea that ladies might want nice looking shoes but in which they can still walk about, seems like it's preposterous to THEM. THEY do not allow it. They want us all in little stilettos that grind down to the steel nub as soon as you walk to the store, or open-toed things that let in all the dust and goat-head thorns on the sidewalks, or strappy things that do the same. Dressy shoes are not allowed to actually cover the foot anymore; if you want that, you have to wear sneakers and shapeless wool sweaters like all the other frumps out there.
Of course one can try to nab some vintage reproduction shoes... but you still wind up with the same strappy open things! THEY have gotten to THEM.
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