Swimming Shoes

 Recently we were lucky enough to visit the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto.  Their current
  exhibit is wonderfully titled "The Roaring Twenties: Heels, Hemlines and High Spirits"

It featured beautiful flapper dresses, bejeweled heels and interesting stories from that era.
One interesting style of shoe that really stood out was this "Swimming Shoe"

Swimming shoes, made by Philips
English, late 1920s 
The 1920s saw increasing numbers of women participating and excelling at sports. The sporting accomplishments of women, such as Suzanne Lenglen’s stunning tennis game and Gertrude Ederle’s record breaking swim across the English Channel were celebrated and inspired many women to take up a sport. Each sport required its own specialized footwear including swimming. This pair of red rubber, “silver wing” bathing shoes would have been worn by a swimmer in pursuit of both fashion and fun at the end of the 20s. 
Collection of the Bata Shoe Museum
Photo credit: 2011 Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Canada.

Our own photo

What a stylish way to go swimming.... they even have wings!  This style would not look out of place in current times as a street shoe, wings and all.

The Roaring twenties exhibit is on until June 2012, I'll post more pictures soon.
http://www.batashoemuseum.ca/exhibitions/roaring20s/index.shtml

Vintage Peter Fox Shoes

These fanciful shoes are circa 1995 and were inspired by stained glass windows.  They are made of Italian silk and feature a 1940's style heel.

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the New Year!

What is a Mary-Jane Shoe?

We hear the term “Mary-Jane shoe” often…but what is it exactly and where did the name come from?

According to Wikipedia:

“Mary Jane is an American term (formerly trademarked) for a kind of strap shoe or sandal that typically has low heels, broad and rounded closed toes, and a single-buckle strap across the instep and/or around the ankle. They are traditionally made of black patent leather, although some current incarnations can be in a wide array of colors and leathers.

Mary Jane was a character created by Richard Outcault for his comic strip, Buster Brown, which was first published in 1902. She was the sister of the title character, Buster Brown.

In 1904, Outcault traveled to the St. Louis World's Fair and sold licenses to up to 200 companies to use the Buster Brown characters to advertise their products. Among them was the Brown Shoe Company, who later hired actors to tour the country, performing as the Buster Brown characters in theaters and stores. This strategy helped the Brown Shoe Company become the most prominently associated brand with the Buster Brown characters. The style of shoe both Buster Brown and Mary Jane wore came to be known by her name, Mary Jane.”

At Peter Fox Shoes we design many of our shoes with Mary-Jane straps. Besides providing comfort and security, this style is an attractive method of solving a lot of fit issues.  For example, if a woman has a wider foot with narrower heel, it will keep the foot from lifting out of the shoe. If a woman has a low arch, it will keep the shoes from gaping in the middle of the foot.

Mary-Jane’s are also wonderful for Brides.  They provide security for outdoor weddings where the ground can often be uneven.  They are also perfect for dancing since you don’t have to worry about your shoes coming off. (Especially if trying to navigate a dress with a big train or skirt).

The Mary-Jane style is a classic…we don’t think it will ever go out of style.

A New Way to Wear Dyed Silk Shoes

We really liked the outfit that Actress Kaley Cuoco (From the show "Big Bang Theory") wore to the 2011 Emmy awards.  It was a simple one-shouldered black dress with a "tea length" hem with very high red satin shoes and a matching evening bag.

She looked fresh and modern, yet with a "retro twist" and stood out among the many more traditional evening gowns.  A great way to add a pop of color to a black dress and show a bit of self-expression.  Silk-satin shoes don't have to be thought of only as old fashioned "dyed to match" anymore....have some fun with color and perk up any outfit.

All Peter Fox Silk-satin shoes are dyeable, see link below:

Peter Fox Silk Shoe Collection

Size 11 and 12 Women's Shoes

We have been offering size 11 and 11 1/2 shoes for many years and have now added size 12 to our size range.

A majority of companies only go to size 10, leaving many women with not much choice in their shoe shopping.  We have had numerous customer requests over the years and have worked with our factory in Italy to create size 11 1/2 and 12 “lasts” that will still look proportional. This means that the proportions of a size 7 shoe and a size 12 style will look the same. (Instead of the shoe just being made longer).

Please check our website for size 12’s….we will also be adding sizes in our new re-orders.  Sizes of existing style can also be special ordered. Please contact us on the link below for ordering info.
http://www.peterfox.com/contact-us.aspx

The Beauty of Shoe Clips

We have recently added a line of hand-made shoe clips to our website.  They include wonderful elements such as vintage silk and organza ribbons, Swarovski crystals and glass pearl embellishments.The collection is great for Eveningwear, Brides and Bridesmaids or anyone who wants to add some decoration to a simple shoe.  

Shoe clips are a wonderful way for a Bride to add some individuality or a touch of “something blue” or a bit of glitz to her shoes. They can also add uniformity to bridesmaid’s shoes, especially if they can’t all wear the same style. There are some really sweet pink and blue bows that are perfect for a flower girl. 

Shoe clips can also go from day to night….not everyone has the luxury of owning a lot of different evening or formal shoes. Dress up a pair of simple shoes for a formal event. Or wear your plain office shoes to work, add some fun clips, and you are all set for a night out!  They can even be used on hats or jackets….they are such a fun and inexpensive accessory.  Shoe clips make a wonderful gift for all shoe lovers!

Click on the link below to go to our shoe clip page

Shoe Clips

How To Care For Nubuck Leather

Nubuck is leather that has been sanded or buffed to give a short nap, producing a velvet-like surface. It is resistant to wear, and can be dyed any color. 

Black Nubuck "Sabrina"

Nubuck is similar to suede, which is made from the inner side of a hide, whereas nubuck is created from the outer side of a hide, giving it more strength and thickness along with a fine grain. It is usually more expensive than suede, and is dyed to cover up the sanding and stamping process.  While very soft and durable, it does scratch easily.

Follow these steps to insure your nubuck shoes stay beautiful:

1)    A bit of preventive maintenance goes a long way.  Spray your shoes with a protective spray made especially for nubuck and suede.  This process should be repeated regularly.

2)    If your shoes get wet, let them sit and dry thoroughly.  The nubuck might seem a bit hard, but the nap can be brushed with a special nubuck brush to soften the leather and remove any surface dirt.

3)    If you get marks on lighter colors, a nubuck “stone” or “eraser can be used to gently rub the marks.  This is a great product and can be purchased at most shoe repair shops.

4)    Nubuck can be cleaned. Special cleaners are available, but if you don’t feel comfortable cleaning them yourself; a good sho repair shop can make your shoes look like new.

Nubuck is a beautiful, soft but strong leather…...a bit of care will ensure

years of wear!