Guest Author - Norma Shephard

With the advent of the Second World War, government restrictions were placed on the fashion industry in regard to leather items, and the embellishment of clothing and footwear; “Utility” styles appeared in response to design regulations, and rationing guidelines were published in newspapers and magazines, clearly explaining procedures and ticket allotments. In Britain in 1941; for example, five ration tickets were required for the purchase of a pair of women’s boots or shoes. Ration books of sixty-six coupons were to last the year. America instituted a similar program in 1942.

Elasticized gores and vamps replaced lacings and buckles on ladies shoes and obscure terms like “simulated frog-skin” were used to describe inferior grades of leather. A fresh silhouette appeared as designers offered buyers the new snub-nose “curbstone toe” and high-walled last, which promised to make feet look smaller. “Trig” bows made subtle reference to patriotism, and the Cuban heel was replaced by a medium block support referred to as the military heel.

By 1941, natural materials, including leather, were commandeered for the war effort, leaving shoe designers to experiment with alternatives such as wood, cork, mesh, and reptile skin. Manufacturers also made use of remnants by combining faux-patent with suede for street wear. Cotton and wool were reserved for slippers while velvet ankle boots with fur trim and quilted linings served as “Motor Boots”.

Wooden clogs could be freely purchased without ration tickets, and corked heels appeared on wedgies c.1942. A hollowed variation of the wedge called the “sled heel” was experimented with briefly. Manufacturers produced low-cut, plain black rubbers styled to fit a variety of women’s shoe styles. They sold for fifty-three cents per pair. These could be worn with cotton shoe protectors, which sold for twenty-five cents per pair.

During the war, embellishment was left to the individual consumer, with magazines offering tips on recycling household items like pipe cleaners and cellophane to create decorations. Peep-toe shoes disappeared until after the conflict as they were considered frivolous and unsafe for the factory-work that engaged so many women.

With silk stockings in short supply, the 1941 Eaton’s catalogue presented nylon stockings as “test-tube hosiery” and promised they would not run. An inferior grade at half the price was termed “service chiffon”. Heavy cotton and wool stockings were marketed for winter wear along with sloshers, which now featured stirrups.

By 1943, with North America no longer importing silk, and nylon performing full-time war work, rayon stockings were introduced (along with laundering instructions for extending their life, as the fibres weakened when exposed to perspiration and lost strength when wet). Many women painted their legs with gravy browning or make-up, and went barelegged, after drawing false seams on the backs of their legs with eyebrow pencil. Children and teens teamed their shoes with ankle socks, often hand-knit.

To learn more about vintage and antique shoes, see my book, In Step With Fashion; 200 Years of Shoe Styles.