We are so excited to announce an extra-special collaboration collection for pre-order: the In Bloom collection, designed in collaboration with the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, Canada! This collaboration collection was inspired…
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Art Nouveau Shoes and Accessories
Maybe it’s just me, but there’s something about springtime that always puts me into an Art Nouveau-phase. Sort of like a Nouveau perennial plant. Each spring, I start dreaming about all things…
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Seeking Historical Faux Suede Shoes: Down a Historical Rabbit Hole
Our new Lido Sandals are a reproduction of a very interesting extant shoe in our collection. This 1940s/1950s peep-toe pump actually has a textile upper, as opposed to real suede uppers. This…
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History of Ghillie Shoes
Our vintage reproduction Ghillie Shoes hold a special place in our hearts. They are comfy, sturdy, and ideal for daywear through transitional seasons. Yet, they are unique and super cute at the…
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“Jitterbug” Spring Collection is Here!
Welcome to the first new collection of 2023, “Jitterbug!” This season we have three gorgeous vintage styles jitterbugging into your brain, all cute, comfy, practical, and fun. Color-poppin’ Lido sandals, earthy Ghillie…
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Beads, Feathers, Sparkles and Oranges: Carnival Around the World
Carnival is quickly approaching! Around the world, different communities and cultures are gearing up to celebrate. Carnival is observed in various capacities and with various traditions, and can look quite different depending…
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Noble, Rainey, and Gladys: The People Behind ‘Harlemology’ by Dandy Wellington
Have you checked out Harlemology, our collaboration with Dandy Wellington yet? Our last blog post was all about collaborating with Dandy on this very special collection, which features two beautiful new American…
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Harlemology: Dandy Wellington x American Duchess – Pre-Order is Open!
We are so over-the-moon thrilled to announce our latest pre-order collection: Harlemology by Dandy Wellington! Dandy Wellington is a bandleader, entertainer, event producer, and creative consultant, born-and-raised in Harlem, New York. He is…
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Pre-Raphaelite Paintings and Aesthetic Dress: Fantasy, Self-Expression, and Tea Gowns
Lately, the Arts and Crafts movement and Pre-Raphaelite movement seem to be having a moment. IKEA recently released a collection of William Morris-inspired prints for some of their home textiles, and apparently…
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Oh What a Tangled Web We Weave (into our clothes): Spiderweb Motifs in Fashion
When we saw these spiderweb shoes in a vintage catalogue from the 1920s, our jaws totally dropped! Bada-bing-bada-boom, now we have Parker Vintage Shoes, resplendent in all her spidery goodness. Spiderwebs are…
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It No Longer Sucks to Order American Duchess Shoes from Europe
We promise! After over ten years of the shipping and import of American Duchess shoes to Europe getting worse and worse, we finally opened a Euro-specific website and are stocking and shipping…
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Glamorous 1920s Shoes and the History Behind Them
Something about the fall and winter months reinvigorates enthusiasm for the Jazz Age, Art Deco, and all things 1920s and flappers! Working on the designs for the All Hallows collection also totally…
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The Fascinating Lives of Buttonhooks
As you will hear us shouting from the rooftops any time we release a button boot, buttonhooks are an utterly indispensable accessory for anyone who dons Victorian/Edwardian footwear with functional buttons. This…
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A Little History of Victorian/Edwardian Cloth-Top Button Boots
We’ll have Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island too! Isn’t it lovely to have cloth-top button boots! Built on the same last and heel as the uber-popular Tavistock all-leather boots, the lighter…
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The History Behind Double-Buckle Combat Boots
When you think ‘combat boots’, what comes to mind? Your favorite Doc Martens, punk rock, or your grunge phase? Modern service boots? Something entirely different? Like camo patterns and army jackets, combat…
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On Cycling Costumes: Pants, Skirts, and Boots
Though some parts of the northern hemisphere may still feel as hot as summer, there’s no denying it- autumn is on its way! Therefore, we have boots on the mind. Our Adventure…
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How to Dye Ivory Leather Shoes
You know that special, excited feeling you get when you’re sewing, about creating a project will be unique and customized just for you? Imagine that excitement doubled (or tripled) for the joy…
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The History of Mary Jane Shoes
The new Prism collection features not one but two splendid Mary Janes, Anna May (3 inch heel) and Millie (1.75 inch heel). We have been working on these babies for a looooong…
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All About Anna May Wong
Have you heard of Anna May Wong? Anna May is widely considered to be the first major Chinese-American film star, and she is the namesake of our new Anna May Mary Jane…
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Shoes for Service: 1940’s Wartime Oxfords
During the second World War, over 400,000 women served in the US military, and nearly half a million women served in the British military. In fact, women served in the military all…