Dig It: Our Very First 1960s Shoe

Our new Vintage Vegas pre-order collection (15% off through Nov. 16) is full of intriguing shoes, including one with a particularly special feature: our Pattie Shoes are our first 1960s reproduction design. Up until now, our vintage reproduction styles have been based on designs from the 1950s at the latest. If you think about it, the start of the 1960s is actually further in the past than the start of the 1950s when American Duchess was founded- eep!

Where to start with 1960s fashion? This decade is described as culturally and socially revolutionary for a reason (understatement). There were so many huge shifts within fashion as a whole, including the formation of new subcultures (like mod, flower power, etc.), the rise of street style and teenage fashion (think “Youthquake”), and advancing manufacturing methods and globalization that made trendy apparel more and more accessible. Self-liberation and a focus on the individual saw dramatic departures from the prim and polished expectations of the previous decade. Revolutionary designers like Mary Quant, André Courréges, and Pierre Cardin introduced bold colors, daring silhouettes, and vibrancy into fashion spaces. We could write ten, twenty, or thirty dedicated blog posts about 1960s fashion alone!

Mary Quant’s Knightsbridge boutique in London, from the London Museum.

But, we must keep the focus on the styles behind our new Pattie Shoe. Pattie is based on original shoes inspired by the mod subculture.. Mod fashion was informed by clean, sharp lines, short hems, streamlined shapes and concise tailoring, androgyny, youthful designs, and bold colors and patterns. Of course, there was the mod icon Twiggy, and the previously mentioned quintessential mod designer Mary Quant.

Ad for Twiggy-Fashion patterns from McCalls, from the mid-late 1960s.

A pair of Charles Jourdan shoes from the collection at the Met Museum, 1965

A pair of fabulous clear vinyl shoes, also c. 1965, from the one and only Beth Levine (mentioned in our 1950s mules post)! From the collection at the Met Museum.

Mod shoes for women were a pretty distinct departure from women’s footwear in the 1950s. Mary Janes, tall boots, and flat heels were popular choices. Squared-off toes and square block heels were also trendy. Innovative materials like vinyl took off like a shot, and with that came bold colors like pinks, bright greens, and mustards.

Did you know that Mary Quant had a shoe line? It was called “Quant Afoot”

As with mid-century modern design, the mod subculture was influenced by futuristic designs. Metallic finishes, like gold and silver, were super trendy. Pop art also had a major influence on fashion design, especially with regards to color-blocking. Two-tone color mixing with bold trimmings was very in. Black and white patent leather, red and white, green and black, and orange and pink are all examples of fashionable color combinations. Of course, all-white patent was also very cool (like the iconic 1960s go-go boots). These design details soon bled from the mod subculture alone into mainstream 1960s fashion.

At this point, you have likely picked up that many of these design details are incorporated into our Pattie Shoes. Pattie has a squared-off rounded toe, a 2″/5.08 cm custom block heel, and color-blocked uppers with patent-leather or metallic leather finishes. A bold fixed bow and large metallic grommets finish off this swingin’ new style. Plus, Pattie comes in both standard (B) and wide (D) width!