Can you help me date this item??

[sixsexsix]

Thanks Sunny! I was relatively sure the silver ones were 60s, the heel is very straight and blocky. Here are the soles:

The black shoes might have a little bit of elastic, it looks that way in the picture (these shoes are at home and I am at work so I can't do a simple check). When you say character shoes what does that mean? Most of my mary-janes at home also have elastic near the buckle. Here are the soles, and another picture for good measure:

[Sunny]

Oh, yes, the silver are definitely 60s! And very nice 60s at that.

Character shoes.


Character shoes, or chorus shoes, are used primarily on the stage, and are traditional ballroom dance shoes. They're practical because they have a clean, not-attention-grabbing look, ankle straps for stability, and leather or similar soles to allow dancing. They have variations (like T-straps, or swivel straps like the picture), but the overall shape of the toe, vamp, and heel has been the same for decades. It's really obvious with your black ones, since they work so well for the 1930s. The appearance of the sole, the elastic on the strap (very common to make sure they fit), and the wear (not much on the sole, more turning on the right foot, and more dings than I'd expect from light street wear), all make me think these are character shoes.

I think that character shoes began way back in the 1920s, or whenever ankle straps came into fasion. I don't think there was a lot of specialized footwear then, certainly not like now, so chorus girls danced in regular shoes. And because they looked good and they worked, they stuck around. In the years since then, what were at one time regular shoes became specific dance shoes. It's the same for ballet shoes. The extremely square toes and ribbon ties are typical of 1830s ladies' footwear. In the 1830s, ballerinas were dancing in regularly-styled slippers. Toe shoes began to evolve then but kept both the square toes and ribbons of the 1830s. (It's actually possible that it worked the other way: Ballerinas were just beginning to dance on toe, and the square shape and ribbons are necessary for that technique. Ballet was extremely popular, so it might just be that those styles of slippers became so popular because of it. Nonetheless, slippers had been the dominant footwear for several decades by then.)

[Kitty_Sheridan]

I'd say the dark pair are 60s/70s. Mum had a similar pair. Made by Dereta or someone similar.
K

[Miss 1929]

I agree, the dark pair look late 60s, early 70s. Because look at the back of the heel - it is almost a straight line from the bottom to where it meets the shoe, a typical look then. If they were earlier (any decade) you would see an inward curve there. Cute shoes though, they would pass for 30s for any event, unless you really need to be perfect! They do look hella narrow, though, always a problem.

[sixsexsix]

Thanks for all the help ladies

[BeBopBaby]

Can you help me date these? Two purses, purchased inexpesively at an estate sale:



A saddle brown leather box purse. Typically, box purses were fashionable in the 50s, but this one seems earlier to me - perhaps late 1940s? The shape of the purse and lining/labels seem a little older than 1950s to me for some reason.

A woven fabric white purse. Pristine condition, never used.

[Laura Chase]

BeBopBaby, could you post the picture again?

Ladies, I have a question regarding two dresses I've recently bought. They both have belts that are sewn on and buckles that are supposed to close on the back. I found this quite queer, can you tell me when this was popular? Perhaps Vintage Betty has a catalogue where this appears? I'd love to see...

I will post pictures of the dresses soon, they are nothing special, though, one is plain black cotton (why I bought it, needed a simple vintage dress) and the other is actually an amazing chocolate brown crepe dress, but unfortunately, it has lots of holes that need repairing. They were a bargain, though.

[Vintage Betty]

Standing by, catalogues in hand...

[Laura Chase]

Standing by, catalogues in hand...

Oh, lady, you are a treasure!

Here's my dress, as I found it (wrinkled and holed). Buckle and buttons are matching brown plastic. When do you reckon it's from?

[Tinseltown]

That's a really interesting dress, Laura!
Maybe it was made by a lady in the 30s who wanted to make a futuristic dress?? (in regards to the buttons and the placement of the belt.)

I hope some of you have some jewelery know-how.
These rings and brooches (and a lipstick holder) were my grandmothers. I have a feeling all of these things are either 70s or 80s since my family moved countries in the 70s and didn't bring many things with them.
That being said, jewelery isn't my area of expertise, so I am still curious from when they are! Either way I love these items because they remind me of my granny..



I looooved this thing as a child! Now I just need more lippies to fll it up!

The white stone in the middle of one of them is kinda shiny and has a pinkish tint.

The shiny effect can kinda be seen here:


Thanks in advance, ladies!