Professional Shoe Hunting Adventures in Vegas

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Last week I went to Magic in Vegas. That sounds glamorous, but Magic is the name of the USA’s largest fashion trade show, and when I say “largest” I mean huge and overwhelming and madness and whoa.

I went to this show in a “buyer” capacity for Royal Vintage Shoes. As you all know, business owners must wear many hats (I try to make mine fabulous hats), and one of my roles is to source and procure vintage style shoes.

Being a “buyer” sounds prestigious, and it is fun, but it’s also a lot of work and responsibility

This is no easy task. What we all want – low-heeled, beautifully designed, classic and classy, and affordable – is nigh impossible to find. 99% of what I saw in the unbelievably huge footwear section at Magic were sky-high, made of weird materials, and downright ugly heel shapes.

Yes, ugly. SO ugly. I’m condemning the footwear fashion industry right here, right now! UGLY! It seems like designers go for “different” at the expense of “beauty.” Poor balance, awkward details, inconsistency throughout the design….there’s a reason these shapes haven’t been done before in the several millennia of footwear history we have on record!!!

So it was depressing.

But not a complete loss.

There are, thank the goddess, a handful of companies that make normal, nice shoes, shoes with a vintage inspiration to them, shoes you can actually walk in and wear for more than five minutes. Thank heaven for b.a.i.t., Chelsea Crew, Restricted, Miss L Fire, and Aerosoles!

A selection of b.a.i.t. shoe coming to Royal Vintage in the next few weeks. The two on the end will arrive for Fall.

Of course, part of this is that my standards are very high. There are some brands that make shoes that clearly have a retro style, but four-inch stiletto heels. Nope. We won’t accept that. Sorry not sorry.

So while it was hard and exhausting, I did get you gals a great selection of 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s style shoes. I’m madly in love with everything we picked out, and I hope you will be too.

New Chelsea Crew styles arriving for Fall. I love them all, but especially the burgundy and navy blue 1930s wrap-straps. Wait until you see these in the round!

Half of the new goodies are coming in the next few weeks, and half are coming for Fall, and will stand proudly alongside our own brand new collection of 1940s reproductions, the new Royal Vintage line opening for pre-order in August.

So while attending Magic was a bit “ugh,” it did result in finding some great stuff, and we were able to stick to our standards of quality and design, finding the best in modern-does-vintage shoes for you. <3

11 Comments

    • Lauren Stowell

      February 25, 2016 at 8:25 PM

      I fell madly in love with those! That's a great example of the importance of seeing stuff in person, because I'd skimmed over those before, just in the email photos, but they are so great in person!

  • Robin's Egg Bleu

    February 26, 2016 at 5:48 AM

    What I've noticed about the trend in shoes is that one, most of them are downright clunky and ugly, or impossibly unwearable. The women I see wearing these shoes they think make them look sexy are sadly mistaken. I never see anyone, even tall, model thin gals wear these shoes and pull off a polished and elegant stride. It affects their gait. They ambulate in a very awkward, hobbled manner and look ridiculous. And they are always staring at their feet, which is going to (along with always looking down at their phones) accelerate the development of the horrific deformation known as the 'dowager's hump.' They either are so in love with these shoes that they can't take their eyes off them, or are terrified of stepping on a crack or uneven surface and losing their balance. Probably a little of both. I think the time has come for the return of elegant, flattering footwear…and maybe even charm school. So glad you are helping to turn the tide in the right direction!

  • bauhausfrau

    February 26, 2016 at 5:16 PM

    What is it with ugly fashion? I get people wanting to be innovative but it shouldn't be at the expense of beauty!

    I've been an Aerosoles fan for a while – they have a lot of comfy and really cute retro shoes Sounds like you've found some good stuff, looking forward to seeing it!

  • vintagevisions27

    February 26, 2016 at 8:47 PM

    Very excited to see the new collection!! Hooray for more vintage style shoes! Don't get more wrong, I LOVE my true vintage shoes. But sometimes it's nice to have a good repro/vintage style pair to wear around that you don't have to worry about. 🙂
    -Emily

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