According to Wikipedia, Keds as shoes were introduced by the U.S. Rubber company in 1916, so 2016 marks 100 years of canvas on rubber athleticism. Through the decades this classic shoe has remained a constant, falling in and out of fashion, but seems to be prevalent and lasting in the Lindy Hop community as a staple shoe. Its efficient shape, versatile rubber sole, and array of colors help continue that legacy, whether they are selected to be “period-appropriate” or just a reasonably-priced dance shoe.
I got an email in my inbox celebrating this anniversary and touting three new collections, inspired by the 1940’s, 1970’s, and 1990’s – the 1940’s shoe is an espadrille in a washed cotton, a nod to both casual elegance and a worn, vintage look, as though these shoes had been washed and loved for years. The colors available are spot on for the 1940’s – a patriotic navy, classic white, and coral that was so popular during the 1940’s.
Since the launch of their not-quite-flat-not-quite-heeled wedge over a year ago, I’ve seen Charlie Stone’s signature t-strap pop up at dances in the U.S., with solid reviews and a supply of dancers looking for that shoe that’s dressier than Keds, but still as comfortable as their flats. For their second collection, they polled Facebook for feedback and votes on the new shoe designs (I love a Facebook poll) and the results are not only in, they are ready to launch two new shoes, the Peta and the Marisa. The Marisa is a white ankle strap shoe with adorable cutouts, while the Peta is closer in design to their sigature shoe, with some modifications to design and a two-tone color scheme. They are offering a presale with 10% off starting this Sunday, February 14, 2016, here are the details from their Facebook page: “From 14.02.16 to 29.02.16, use the discount code PRESALE at checkout to get 10% off Peta or Marisa.” Enjoy!
When one door closes, another one opens…I have long been mourning the loss of Dancestore.com’s Mary Jane wedge, which I own in black and red and are staples of my weekly dance wardrobe and what I would choose to put on my feet at the end of a long dance weekend for some comfort. They are down to the last two sizes in brown and appear to be phasing out wedges altogether (I love you Rugcutters!), which left me in a bit of a panic, as my wedges are definitely 5+ years into their lives with signs of abuse/love – what would I get to eventually replace them?
As if Re-mix Vintage Shoes read my mind, they brought back their very own Mary Jane wedge, now with an enclosed heel, and named it Lindy. It took me a little while to warm up to dancing in Re-mix wedges, as I found them stiff at first, but then I wore a pair of their Spectator wedges to a Lindy bomb at a bar and they were everything – street shoes and dance shoes, flexibility, security, and with that wedge sole I could plow through every inconsistency in that concrete floor. For me, the more closed-heeled Re-mix wedges have been more secure for my feet for dancing, which is why I am excited about the Lindy – perhaps they got feedback from dancers about which wedges they prefer and made this closed heel modification to the style just for us? I’d like to think so. 🙂
The regal profile of a perfect pair of dance heels.
I swear I’m not saying this because they are the juiciest shade of green this side of a Granny Smith apple, I’m saying this because they are all of the things I am looking for in a dance shoe. The new Saint Savoy Riviera, a gorgeous t-strap dance shoe, is all of these things and more: something low enough that I can Lindy Hop all night, but high enough that I can benefit from a heel for Balboa; something that I can dance in all night without hurting the balls of my feet or causing blisters (on the first night of dancing, no less! No blisters!); soft, flexible leather, yet with enough support to withstand the stress of the dance; did I mention the perfect heel height (3.5 cm, which is about 1.4 inches)? And the soft sueded sole? And the pristine finishing on the shoe? And the divine two tone color? And the cutouts allowing for even more movement? And the sweet vintage styling? I haven’t been this excited about a pair of dance shoes since my first pair of Remixes 8 years ago, I’m in love…
The Riviera is so new that it’s not even on the Saint Savoy website yet, but will be in late November, just in time for the gifting season. They are taking orders, though, so contact them about placing your order. The green Rivieras are almost sold out already (I’m looking at you, Castle Camp)! Also available in light blue, brown, and a sassy tan/red color combo.
Here’s a collection of photos of my love affair with this dance shoe:
Top view – I can neither confirm nor deny that they are the same color as my ’64 Vespa 90. 😉Side view – can my entire life be this technicolor? It’s always good to have goals.Rear viewInside viewCasual view, aka recovering asthmatic view.
I must confess, for the past two days, since Saint Savoy posted a sneak preview of their new Riviera shoe, I have found myself going back to their Facebook page multiple times a day to go look at these shoes. THAT GREEN. That blue…and I’d definitely get some use out of that neutral pair, too. They had me at color, but I’m sold at the 3.5 cm (about 1.4 inches) heel.
The fairly recently launched Charlie Stone Shoes is already working on their next swing dance shoe, utilizing the first shoe design’s low/hidden wedge, and you get to vote on what shoe they make next! There are four adorable designs to choose from and all you have to do is go to the Charlie Stone Shoes Facebook page and tell them which shoe is your favorite: A, B, C, or D. I love it when designers incorporate fan feedback – thanks, Charlie Stone!
I love a sale and I love it when I find new products tailored for swing dancers – here, we have Saint Savoy Dancewear, a swing dance company founded by Rani-Patricia Dirnhofer, a Vienna-based dancer who grew up in Spain and uses her connections there to collaborate with Alicante shoe manufacturers to create this line of men’s and women’s dance shoes – from oxfords to t-straps, flats to heels, brogueing to cutouts…there’s a lot of variety here! Additionally, Saint Savoy is running a sale until November 30, 10 Euros off any pair of dance shoes…
…but what about these shoes, you say? Let’s take a closer look:
It seems all dancers struggle with finding that perfect pair of shoes – Rani-Patricia shared this struggle: “While hunting for stylish dance shoes, we searched through countless websites from all over the world. The meagre array, several bad buys, and a lot of research brought us to the idea of starting our very own company.” What is remarkable is that people are actually doing this, starting companies and making these shoes – clearly there is a demand!
So if you could come up with a dance shoe company, what specs would you include? Saint Savoy touts the following:
– Sustainable production: “We hold the manufacturing methods of our products to high ethical standards, and select the materials used according to durability and sustainability. We proudly ensure that our shoeboxes are made from recycled paper, plastic packaging is minimized, leatherwork follows German PCP Regulations, and working conditions for our shoemakers are fair – more ways in which we join traditional and contemporary.”
Here are some favorites from the Saint Savoy line of shoes for men and women (ladies, note that there are flats and low heel options) – don’t forget to place your orders before November 30 to get the discount!
Rugcutter burgundy cap toe oxfordSuzy Q t-strap flatsLurve these light gray wingtipsJitterdoll low-heeled oxford
Those of you in the market for some Balboa shoes and with a size 9 foot might be interested in this pair of unworn Tara Tango shoes on eBay – bidding is at $20 and ends today! These shoes retail for $185, definitely the steal of the week.
Etsy vintage seller Fab Gabs recently posted a number of amazing vintage shoes in a range of sizes. Check out her Etsy page for the full story, but here are my faves:
The only time I’ve ever wished for a larger foot – woven 50’s heels, size 8/8.5Stars! 1940’s slingbacks, 7.5N1930’s burgundy heels, size 8AA1930’s t-straps, size 4.5 – I know you tiny feet girls are out there and you want something more than a Mary Jane! There’s another pair of satin wedding shoes in this size from the 30’s…
A deal! Not a super steal, but if Re-Mix’s Deco heel has been on your wishlist and you wear a size 9, you are in luck – there’s a pair in black/brown combo, new in box, on eBay for $100 starting bid. These shoes retail for $194, so this is a great price, almost 50% off! Happy bidding…
A few months ago, I started looking for a solution to the blisters I get from shoes when I dance – not every shoe, but some of my faves that I didn’t want to get rid of because I would start the night just fine, then end the night with blisters without even realizing it until I took my shoes off. I have a bit of a narrow heel, so it tends to slide out of shoes. I’ve also been buying more European shoes lately, and the are not always offered in half sizes (37.5 here), so I end up with a slightly larger shoe to make sure it fits (38). However I looked at it – slightly larger shoes, stretched over the course of a dance, or rubbing blisters for whatever reason – I had a problem.
After some digging online, I came across the Pedag heel grips on Amazon.com – stick-on suede leather heel grips with a padded ridge to grip your heel. The number of reviews numbered over 200 and were overwhelmingly positive and detailed. I would recommend reading the reviews to see if your particular foot and/or shoe might benefit – I have Haglund’s deformity and the more I read, the more I realized that this was the product that would keep those shoes from rubbing once and for all.
And, thankfully, I was right – it doesn’t work for every problem shoe, but it has worked for all the dance shoes I have tried and a few pairs of non-dancing pumps. It provided just the right amount of space-filler to prevent the friction and I can control the placement to avoid or assist my Haglund’s bump. The suede works well as a gripping material and I have not had trouble with the adhesive not sticking to the shoes. No more blisters, yay!
This tip came to me via a Twitter conversation with @RebeccaBrightly and @jonandcris about dance shoes, where @jonandcris noted that he “spent all last weekend at Paris Swing Workshop wearing @slideandswing & feet/legs/knees not sore at all.” A few clicks later and I was exploring Slide & Swing, a Barcelona-based shoe-maker/retail shop/online store, selling vintage-inspired shoes with a modern twist for dancers and muggles alike.
The shoes are available in men’s and women’s sizes, focusing on three classic styles – an oxford, a saddle shoe, and a wingtip. What makes these shoes a modern update are the clean lines and the available colors and color combinations. The clean lines are essentially created by the absence of broguing and the smooth, clean look of the leather. The colors update the look even further, with gray as their baseline (in lieu of black) and vivid, distinct colors/combinations like a royal blue and white saddle shoe for women and an oxford in canary yellow for men.
I’d also like to note that these are great flats options for women (which always seem to be in short supply), with construction that will keep these on your feet and some nice color options that are different from our usual standbys. With all leather construction and their fresh take on the classics, Slide and Swing dance shoes look like a viable option for dancers seeking shoe options that are created with dancers in mind.
“I purchased these shoes to wear at the “big dance” we attended after taking dance lessons. They were never worn for practice and when I wore them at the dance I wore street shoes until inside. They are in perfect condition. I got a new girl friend and so I don’t have to dance any more!! Shoe trees shown in the picture are not included.”
One person’s trash is another person’s treasure? 😉 Bless his heart…
On the heels of the Dancestore.com sale comes a Re-Mix Sale! Some particularly danceable models are reduced drastically – I’ll let the graphic below explain more. 🙂
Lindy Shopper 