Daily Archives: July 11, 2012 »
13 Iconic Shoes That Changed America
Choos and Louboutins Manolo Blahniks and Sex and the City-era indulgence spurred the rise of these other modern-day serious splurge brands. Jimmy Choo’s first big-name client was Princess Diana, who began wearing his shoes
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13 Iconic Shoes That Changed America
Manolo Blahniks By the time Sex and the City made them a household name in the late 1990s, Manolo Blahniks had been on the scene for more than 20 years. In fact, he designed
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13 Iconic Shoes That Changed America
Mary Janes In the early 90s, the Mary Jane made a big-screen splash. Clueless’s costume designer Mona May’s modern take on innocent schoolgirl style was a big about-face to the popular grunge styles of
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13 Iconic Shoes That Changed America
Doc Martens Doc Martens hit mainsteam American after they were popularized in the mid-80s and early 90s by grunge rock-types in the U.S. Northwest, but the famous boot was created in 1960 by Dr.
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13 Iconic Shoes That Changed America
Power Sneakers The 1980s ushered in a surge of athletic sneakers, as symbolized by the white-on-white Reebok Freestyle. The trend could be ascribed to a number of factors, including a 1980 transit workers strike
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13 Iconic Shoes That Changed America
Stilettos Skinny-heeled shoes (from such designers as Roger Vivier) flourished after World War II. Partly this style caught on was because the heels required metal for reinforcement, which wasn’t available until manufacturing needs eased
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13 Iconic Shoes That Changed America
Platform Shoes Outrageous platform heels were the 1970s trademark footwear and “for the first time in the twentieth century, men’s and women’s footwear options were strikingly similar,” notes Bergstein. Many young men started experimenting
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13 Iconic Shoes That Changed America
Cork Wedges Ah, Ferragamo! This Italian footwear legend—who dressed some of Hollywood’s most famous feet starting in the 1920s—took a hit during World War II, when the steel needed to reinforce high heels was
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13 Iconic Shoes That Changed America
Casual Sneakers The flat-shoe trend that Audrey Hepburn ushered in also paved the way for the popularity of casual sneakers like Keds, the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star, and Vans, especially with beatniks, rock-and-roll
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13 Iconic Shoes That Changed America
Femme Fatale Pumps Lana Turner’s memorable entrance in white open-toe pumps (again, designed by Ferragamo) epitomizes the allure of the slinky 1940s heel. Records show actresses Shelley Winters, Marilyn Monroe, and many other American
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