The 20th century brought many changes in footwear, from new manufacturing methods to designs shaped by sport, music and fashion. Shoes had expressed taste and status long before 1900, so this is a story of changing styles, not the beginning of footwear as fashion.
Early-century boots and shoes
The Metropolitan Museum of Art describes short boots as fashionable streetwear from the 1830s into the 1920s in its entry for a French button boot dated 1900–1910. Laced and buttoned designs shared a longer history than the century boundary suggests.
For earlier context, our Victorian footwear guide discusses surviving walking and button boots.
New silhouettes and old ideas
The Victoria and Albert Museum’s short footwear history mentions 1920s bar shoes, 1940s utility styles, 1950s stilettos and 1970s platforms. These examples show a range of fashion histories; they do not describe what everyone wore in those decades.
Platforms also have earlier precedents. The platform shoe article discusses Venetian chopines alongside modern styles.
Sneakers and culture
Shoes made for sport became part of other settings and communities. The Smithsonian documents Adidas basketball sneakers worn by B-Girl Laneski around 1984–85 and notes the model’s connection to hip-hop artists. One surviving pair can illuminate a particular story without standing in for every community.
Our athletic shoe history looks more closely at sport and sneaker use.
Production and access
Industrial shoe production was already developing in the 19th century. Machines, factory organization and material choices continued to change in the 20th, but handwork did not disappear. The industrial shoemaking guide explains some earlier changes.
Looking at a historical shoe
Ask when and where it was made, what materials it uses and whether the museum knows who wore it. An unusual surviving design may have been saved because it was distinctive. Everyday footwear is not always represented in collections in the same proportion as it was worn.
Frequently asked questions
Did shoes become fashionable only in the 20th century? No. Decorated and status-associated footwear existed much earlier.
Were platforms invented in the 1970s? No. Elevated shoes have older histories, including Venetian chopines.
Did everyone wear the same styles? No. Fashion differed across places, communities and occasions.
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