But even a woman with half a brain can talk about shoes, so here it is: A post about shoes.
I bought these shoes at Lidl, of all places. Cheap and replaceable, I figured they'd make a good first re-covering project. I bought some black faux leather that I was going to use and started with one shoe but when I found the Red 80's Leather Jacket of Doom! on sale in a second hand store, I quickly changed my mind.
The jacket was absolutely grotesque and should probably have been burned or sent to the bottom of the sea in a sealed iron chest but it was a very nice and smooth leather, and very red, so as of now it' still in my home, slightly mutilated but still recognisable.
However, here's the result. They're RED (I read somewhere that red shoes were mostly worn by loose women. Is this true?)
I will have to work out something to hide the raw edges, and find some shoe buckles.
The flaws are plentiful, because I messed a few things up, but for once I won't point them out to you. I'm mostly done with them but hopefully learned a few things for my next project...
...which will be this pair.
I'm not too crazy about them so I don't care if they blow up. I will use scraps of grey silk taffeta that I have (actually a pair of half-finished mitts. That blew up).
Then I have these.
They will become my Sensible Shoes, for when a lot of walking and standing is to be expected. I want them to remain black so maybe I can use the faux leather for them.Another pair of Sensible Shoes that I don't know what do do with yet, I just bought them.
These are the shoes I have used until now.
They're exactly as when I bought them and I don't think I will do anything about them. They're not really very pretty (or accurate...) but they will have to do until I've made something shiney. They're uncomfortable to boot (bad pun intended) which is another reason for not bothering with them.But finally: the completely unworn 70's(?) beauties that I will save for later, when I've learnt to master the art of shoe re-covering.
There will be silk involved, that's all I know for now.Well, that was a post about shoes all right. What shoes do you wear yourself when in costume? Pics and links please!
Love the red shoes!
ReplyDeleteWOW, they look fantastic! I couldn't see any major flaws, just awesomeness :-) The other shoes are great too, where do you FIND these things?
ReplyDeleteIsis: I'm glad! They wish to meet you in person at some event in a near future!
ReplyDeleteYour Grace: Ha! That's because the picture quality was so bad (cell phone camera...) but still; people rarely bow down to my feet anyway :P
All the shoes are bought at thrift stores. I'm always looking for shoes to re-cover/mutilate when I'm out thriftin'. One can never have too many hats, shoes and gloves...
Wow! They are great! Thrift store shoes always work well for me in the reenacting depot. I usually get mine at Good Will.
ReplyDeleteI love the red shoes! They are beyone fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you are even thinking of changing the 70s beauties. They are totally gorgeous!
The brown/red with big buckle sensible shoes are pretty special as they are too.
Lauren: I go to the Salvation Army stores whenever I can! Clothes and books - can't beat'em!
ReplyDeleteAloha: Oh, thanks!
Well, I'm not to fond of the 70's shoes style-wise but they're in total mint condition so in a way it feels kinda bad to change them. But that won't happen in a long time anyway so who knows...
The other pair you mentioned: Yes, I think I like them too as is, except for the buckle, which is some kind of awful leather braid (it doesn't show very good in the picture). I will have to come up with something.
A great project and very worthy. Keep us posted please.
ReplyDeleteLe Loup.
I was told by one of the shoe sellers in Colonial Williamsburg that red shoes were very fashionable. So you did good. They look great.
ReplyDeleteVal
This is something I have trouble with! Finding any decent shoes! You have excellent ones I must say :o)
ReplyDeleteDon't buy the red shoe thing. Shoes came in every color, pattern and design...it would seriously ruin a ladies ability to have matching or cool shoes if the rumor about the red shoes was true.
ReplyDeletePlus, red shoes are awesome. hands down. And yours look great!
Pic and link, certainly! With tails or tuxedo I wear black Pumas!
ReplyDeletehttp://svenskefloyd.blogspot.com/2008/10/partystil_21.html
Le Loup: I will post about every GOOD outcome, for sure!
ReplyDeleteLauren: Thank you. It is pretty hard to find shoes that look good AND suit you (if you're buying second hand) but I just happened to have some luck for the last months! When I REALLY need a pair desperately, I can be sure I won't find them.
Abby and Time Traveller: Thank you! I thought that rumour sounded a bit suspicious too, very myth-y. The source was pretty reliable, though, but I had a feeling some awesome costumer or another would beg to differ!
Svenske Floyd: I whole-heartedly approve!
I love all the shoes. I hope you have fun with them. I sadly have never found a really good pair of shoes that look the way I want them too and are comfortable as well...So currently here in Cairo I just have my very worn looking pair of flat black leather slippers.
ReplyDeleteThe red ones look great! I think it is safe to say that the red shoes=loose women thing is untrue...if it was then why would so many 1770s and 1780s portraits show little girls from respectable families wearing red shoes. Of course there is always the possiblity that this was the case for red shoes during a very limited amount of time and therefore there was a reference to it in some primary source...but that in general over the course of the 18th C red shoes were fine for any woman to wear.
De röda är ljuvliga, helt enkelt ljuvliga!
ReplyDelete