Shoe lovers will salivate over this Buying guide to fabulous footwear through the ages.TrendStopVintage will help you to better understand how to choose quality vintage shoes, what are platform shoes,what collectors are willing to pay for vintage footwear and tips & warning.

HOW TO CHOOSE QUALITY VINTAGE SHOES? 

If you decide to purchase vintage shoes, look for brand names that you know to be of high quality. Consignment stores usually offer only expensive designers shoes. You can find casual shoes or sport shoes in thrift store. Before you final decision, check the quality of your shoes’ body, and choose high quality materials, such as thick plastic, durable canvas and, first of all, leather. Check the heel of the shoe. Choose heels made of cork, wood or thick plastic. Avoid heels to worn or seriously damaged.

Check the attachments and place your hand inside the shoe to verify the quality of the insoles and the side panels. Avoid shoes with holes or wearing grooves. Try to find shoes made in Italy or Spain, for their superior quality. If you find a great shoe with damaged heels, evaluate their replacement costs.

Try to evaluate only carefully selected vintages shoes, remember that time is the best tester for designers. More people are choosing to buy vintage shoes at the expense of newer models. If you want to dance with no worries, try a pair of vintage shoes, stylish and comfortable. Some people says the vintage clothes and shoes have a second chance; this alternative solution for one of a kind look. Remember that everybody deserves a second chance, even shoes. Vintage shops offer a large selection of vintage clothes and shoes; it is overwhelming to choose.

Before you go shopping vintage shoes, map out some high quality places; one visit is not enough and searching for the right pair of shoes is time consuming. Some shoes appear to have been barely used, other show they wear. Never forget to check for imperfections.

Explore online shops and you will discover new or nearly new designer shoes, at reasonable prices. It is wise to explore everyday your favorites to find what you are looking for, or more. You can find all type of vintage shoes, all popular name brands. All shoes are controlled to make sure they are in very good condition, clean and paired. People usually search for sport shoes and leather shoes having reasonable prices.

Don’t buy secondhand shoes only because they are cheap; you search for high quality shoes, don’t be in a rush to buy. Usually, second hand shoes are not returnable, nor are they exchangeable, so choose carefully. Sometimes, resale vintage clothing and shoes offers one of the best bargains for you. People from every socio-economic class like vintage clothes and shoes, for their beauty and value, and not only for their price. Searching for vintage clothes ad shoes seem some time a treasure hunt because every person is looking for a special piece of clothing, or shoes, to make their wardrobe more attractive.

It is not a miracle to find a Chanel shoes or a Gucci handbag; these little treasures can make your world a more fashionable place. You have the chance to find amazing pieces of vintage clothing and shoes, and you will need to purchase more. You can purchase these items for you, your friend s or your creative community. Take your time, browse online stores; you will get soon a perfect vintage shopping experience.

Shopping online is an exciting experience; you will find that vintage shopping is addictive. Many valuable pieces of clothing and shoes are in your area too, you must find the way to get them. There are garage sales, people wanting to rid themselves of a collection of old shoes and clothes. You can be fortunate and find untouched pieces of vintage shoes in similar situations. Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci or Christian Dior retro shoes are more accessible.

If you need to buy sport shoes, beware of fakes. Reproductions are very close in look but, unfortunately, not in physical attributes. There are many sites just waiting to take your money, some of these sites won’t even send you the items. If someone pretends to offer Victorian shoes, remember that those shoes are hard to come by these days. Running shoes by designers are collected today. People are ready to complete their vintage clothing wardrobe from a particular era with high quality shoes.

Vintage shoes from the same era as the clothes always bring a stylish touch and make your appearance more elegant.

RELATED BOOKS IN THIS CATEGORY:

• "Shoes: a celebration of pumps,sandals,slippers & more" by Linda O'Keefee
• "Shoes: a history from sandals to sneakers" by Giorgio Riello
• "The seductive shoe: four centuries of fashion footwear" by Jonathan Walford

TIPS and WARNING:

• If you find a great shoe with so-so heels or soles, think about getting them replaced. The modern cobbler can work wonders on worn heels and holey soles.
•  Many pumps have covered heels, or heels that are wrapped in the same material as the upper. Ensure that the material is intact and not fraying around the tip or at the inside seam.
• You may find a great pair of shoes with a few scuff marks. If you decide that you can buff or polish the marks out, see if the seller will give you an additional discount due to the damage.

WHAT ARE WEDGE-PLATFORM SHOES?

The orthopedic wedge was supposedly created by Italian footwear designer Salvatore Ferragamo in 1935. Experimenting with materials such as string and straw Ferragamo is also credited for inventing the wedge heel in 1936. Around 1937, inspired by the Italian Renaissance, Ferragamo resurrected the Chopine, or the tall platform shoe. With a shortage of materials (leather) Ferragamo utilized his creativity by adapting wood and cork into platform soles and inserting cellophane in place of straps. The cork wedge was devised via layers of Sardinian cork. Despite its cumbersome sole, the wedge served as a sturdy platform for walking and withstood wear and tear. In 1938 Ferragamo created the famous platform sandal for Judy Garland which contained layers of different colored chamois with an upper made of padded gold kid straps with a buckle. The majority of non-leather shoes were a novelty at first, and then became widely popular throughout Europe during World War II.

Around 1941 platform shoes made their way into North American stores. Ladies liked the elevation, and when combined with shoulder pads it gave the impression of an elegant, tall physique. Alongside the platform, the wedge heel became very common, as it gave American women more height and was sturdier than the flat-soled shoe. By the end of the war platform shoes were almost five inches.

s hard to imagine what classical Greek theater has to do with the disco phase of the 1970s and early 1980s. There is one thing that definitely connects the two: the platform shoe. In Greek theater, important lead characters often wore shoes that were elevated with a heavy sole so that the character’s integral role was emphasized. Appearing taller helped achieve this effect.

Throughout history, many cultures have made use of some form of platform shoe. In some cases, an elevated shoe with a wide base protected feet or skirts from mud. Men who wished to appear taller frequently appeared in heels. Much later, fashions of the 1970s and 1980s took cues from Grecian, Roman, European, and Japanese styles, and the platform shoe burst onto the disco scene as the ultimate fashion accessory to bellbottom pants.

Platform shoes have a wide, high sole that elevates the feet by several inches, instead of the traditional thin sole that most shoes tend to have. In platform shoes, both the toe and heel are usually elevated. The entire sole of the shoe can be completely elevated, having a rubberized or cork bottom, or merely the toes and heels have a platform base. Heel sections are generally quite wide.

In some shoes, this elevation provided greater stability. Brands like Famolare’s were famous for their rippled rubber sole on simple loafers. In others cases, platform shoes were extremely hard to walk on, making even the highest stiletto seem like a slipper in comparison. Exceptionally high platform heels and toes were easily the cause of many a sprained ankle, since the foot could quickly turn sideways even while walking on even ground. Dancing in platforms could be even more of a challenge, though many women perfected the art.

If you’d like to reminisce about platform shoes, look no further than the 1970s classic film Saturday Night Fever. In the film, platform shoes abound, and are worn by both women and men. John Travolta’s white dance shoes are an excellent example of men’s platform shoes.

Some types of platform shoes never really went out of style after the 1970s. A slightly raised platform covering the whole sole is still popular in casual sandals and loafers. Extra rubber gave a little more spring to the step, and you can still find many nurse's shoes with an inch or two of platform, which helps cushion feet during long work shifts. As a fashion statement in the 1980s, platform shoes gave way to the retro 1940s/1950s pointy-toed heels.

Men, for the most part gave up on “elevator shoes” which gave them a few more inches in height. Yet fashion has a way of returning, and platform shoes enjoyed another famous moment in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Especially with many of the 1970s fashion styles back for a retread, platform shoes were featured not only in dress shoes, but also on boots, and loafers.

WHAT COLLECTORS ARE WILLING TO PAY FOR VINTAGE FOOTWEAR?

One of the most important factors in shoe collecting is style. Stylish footwear clearly representative of a particular era appeals to both collectors and those buying shoes to complete a look. Designer brands also add value to vintage shoes in many cases.

For example, a pair of peep-toe platform shoes from the 1940s, complete with ankle straps, might sell for $250 or more. A pair of Chanel flats from the ‘60s or ‘70s will usually bring at least $200 to the bargaining table. Even Nike running shoes from years past can be worth a pretty penny today.

But most of all, vintage shoe buyers want their footwear to have some life left in them. They need to be in good to excellent condition to bring such high prices. Of course, the nature of shoes being worn until they’re pretty much worn out makes them harder to find in pristine condition when compared to other vintage accessories.

By and large, however, those who plan to wear their vintage footwear look for reasonably priced shoes. That's part of the appeal. Putting together a stylish vintage outfit can often be much less expensive than purchasing a comparable new one. And if frugal shoppers hit the right thrift stores and estate sales, they can usually achieve that goal with fun persistence that ultimately pays off.

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GO VINTAGE SHOPPING!

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See also our Buying Guide for Vintage Clothing Lovers.

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