90s and Beyond, Back to the Future

Is there nothing new under the sun? The 90s are an amalgamation of this century's style, from the retro floral fashions of the early 90s to the hippie and swing revivals of the late 90s. But, more and more, people are getting in touch with their inner shoe and admitting, once and for all, how much they love them... 
The Nineties brought the world into the electronic age. In the span of the decade, cell phones, computers, email, and the internet went from technological oddities to necessities. The North American economy boomed, and the population reveled in the affluence by consuming as never before. Diversity has been a key concept in the 1990s and its influence is reflected very obviously in fashion. Shoes are no longer confined to a handful of styles; they're available in every conceivable style and made for any occasion. We perform a variety of daily activities, all of which require different footwear. Boots, sneakers, pumps — and sneaker-pumps — mules, sandals, and flats. Heavy, whimsical, clunky, dainty — you name it, it's out there.  Companies such as Skechers, Nike, and Birkenstock have been very successful at building brands and the accompanying loyal following. Advertising now emphasizes social and ecological values, or personal growth, just as often as the products themselves.

In the early 90s, grunge culture had a marked, albeit brief, effect on fashion. Men and women agreed that ripped jeans and plaid shirts looked great with Doc Martens. Athletic shoes gained in popularity. Perhaps too much so, considering the reports of gang violence related to sneakers. And the recent 70s revival has led to a new love for unwieldy, clunky, — and dare we say — ugly platform shoes. Fashion critics are suggesting that shoes may be the last bastion of personalization in an increasingly homogenous world. This year brings yet another recycling of style. Flats, particularly the ballet-style reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn, in white and pastels are making their way to shoe stores everywhere. Designers are finding that consumers, at least those over the age of 16, aren't as willing to sacrifice comfort for fashion. A brief flirtation with the stiletto pump, beautiful as they were, fell flat a few years ago. Many of us say, "Thank goodness that's over!" 

Technology has had a huge impact on the footwear of this decade. Materials such as microfibres, stretch fabrics, and various synthetic materials were used to make the retro styles new again. Technology has also improved the manufacturing process, and computerized embroidery and other new methods of decoration have brought elaborate designs to the mass market. The seventies revival spawned platforms, stilettos, strappy sandals, and high boots. Though the styles were borrowed from past decades, the materials were brand new. Ecology became an important theme toward the millennium, and companies like Timberland and Rockport were specially designed for those who wanted to get back to nature. These styles are still seen on the streets and campuses of the North America and Europe. The 1990's has ended with every type of strappy sandal carrying low chunky heels, wedges or very high heels. By the 1990’s it seemed that designers were just recycling ideas from previous decades. They began to look to the past in search of a new direction for the future…


The Nineties - Women's Shoes

Women can select from a broad range of styles to suit every mood, business, or social occasion. Comfortable low-heeled walking shoes, high stilettos, and mid-height heels are executed in a variety of leathers, suedes and fabrics. 

The revival of the seventies styles brought back platforms and huge block heels by mid decade. By 1996 they adorned just about every pair of women’s shoes, from athletic to pumps to casual styles. Hush Puppies reappeared on the mass market in 1997, and the younger crowd adopted the style in bright new colors, complete with a high block heel. 

By 1997, haute couture decided that a more feminine look needed to return to fashion footwear. Strappy sandals returned but they retained the block heel.

In 1998, the fashion industry threw away the clunky look of block heels and platforms, and reintroduced slimmer heels such as the Cuban and the Louis. These styles were seen in stores in the late 90s, but it wasn't until the next decade that they ousted the block heel for the younger fashion set. 


The Nineties - Men's Shoes

For business, footwear remains much the same as it was in the eighties. The traditional styles still hold strong, though sometimes untraditional colors or fabrics are used to update the design. The younger set appears in brightly colored Hush Puppies loafers with business suits and for casual wear. 

For the younger generation, shoes for street wear range from Doc Martens, which became a mainstream norm in the mid-nineties, to athletic shoes, to styles borrowed from the sixties and seventies such as the Chelsea boot. 

Toes at the beginning of the decade were pointed, but by the mid-nineties, they became domed and round. Platform soles, which became popular with women in mid decade, are now worn by young men for street wear and clubbing. Sandals for summer are the norm, and Birkenstocks in 1993 made a huge comeback to become the mainstream summer footwear.

The History of Shoes: Superstition

Socks & Stockings

An old custom for luck was to leave stockings in the shoes overnight. A hole in a sock or stocking indicated the arrival of a letter, whereas if a worm were to crawlinto stockings this would herald a new pair was forth coming. During World War II many pilots were reported to have worn a ladies nylon stocking around their neck for good luck. Wearing a stocking inside out is the sign of a present. When giving a lady a pair of garters it was good luck to let the gentleman put them on her leg. To avoid bad luck after removing a sock you have put on inside out. You must spit on it. Stockings on the wrong feet need to be removed at noon and the heel spat on. Changing odd socks once on your feet will foretell an accident.