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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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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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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All Hallows – {Pre-Order Open}
It’s spooky season, and to celebrate we have some enchanting shoes for you! This collection is definitely aesthetic, vibing strong in the 1920s with a dash of gothic goodness. Satins, patents, and…
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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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One Boot to Rule Them All
With the new Larkspur Wool and Leather Boots, we claim a rather long time period for accuracy, 1810s – 1930s. This bold statement demands evidence, so I’m here to provide it. The…
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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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“Prism” by American Duchess – August 2022 Pre-Order is Open!
The new “Prism” collection is now ready! This collection is all about colors, presenting several new colorways in AD classics, along with a new design in two different heel heights. Before we…
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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…
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Jazz Standards – Introducing the New Vintage Collection
At last, we’re proud to present a big new collection of vintage shoes that hit all the right notes, the “Jazz Standards” Collection. These are the classics, the quintessential styles of the…
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A Little History of Shocking Pink
For the first time in American Duchess history, we’ve created shoes in several very strong pinks, all drawn from and inspired by a late 1930s “Surrealist” palette. As with many things in…
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Bold Moves – The “Avant Garde” Vintage Shoe Collection with Karolina Zebrowska
Today is quite an exciting day. We’re proud to introduce a new capsule collection in collaboration with Karolina Zebrowksa! The story of this collection is rather amusing. In 2020, Karolina posted a…
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Surrealism and the Avant-garde in Fashion
There are many times throughout history when fashion has gone a bit wacky. Color, material, extreme silhouettes all coming together to create an unforgettable look of usually a quite short moment in…
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Ivory Shoes!
A very classic colorway, so versatile and lovely – we’re now offering our most popular designs in ivory leather, and – no surprise – most of them are the Edwardians. Shoes in…
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Bessie Coleman & Black Women in Aviation {Fundraiser}
This month we’re very proud to introduce the “Bessie” Aviator Boots, something of a “holy grail” of vintage reproduction shoes that I’ve wanted to produce for years. We’ve named them after Bessie…
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Let’s Make Some Men’s Shoes
…for real. A couple years back we made a stab at developing a men’s historic footwear collection. We did a pump, a latchet shoe, and a boot all from around the 1780s-1810s.…
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April Vintage Pre-Order is OPEN!
I will admit I haven’t been sewing much (Covid energy-sap), but I do have plans. Honestly all I’ve really been up to is -work- but at least it’s fun work, getting so…
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The Pincurl Diary – How to Do 1930-50s Hair for a Whole Week
How remiss am I in never posting this video I made earlier in the year. This is a tutorial of sorts for how to set wet-set one’s hair and then maintain it…