Man's Shoes

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Man's Shoes

c. 1955

Made by Florsheim, founded in Chicago (1892–present)

By the late 1940s, men's blue suede shoes were advertised as "a refreshing change from tiresome black or brown." The style achieved iconic status in early 1956 with the release of one of the first rock-and-roll hits "Blue Suede Shoes," written and recorded by Carl Perkins and covered the same year by Elvis Presley. Although etiquette arbiter Emily Post declared that a man of taste never wore them, blue suede shoes became a teenage fad. A darker, laced version was more usual, however—the wearer of these baby blue slip-ons would have been especially careful not to have his shoes stepped on.

Currently not on view

Object Details

Title:

Man's Shoes

Date:

c. 1955

Artist:

Made by Florsheim, founded in Chicago (1892–present)

Medium:

Light blue suede and leather

Dimensions:

12 x 4 inches (30.5 x 10.2 cm)

Classification:

Costume (including accessories)

Credit Line:

Gift of Joseph Sims, 1974

Accession Number:

1974-183-1a,b

Geography:

Made in United States, North and Central America

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Currently not on view

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