School clothing in the 60’s had few choices. Catholic school options even fewer. Footwear choices were fewest still.
Choices for footwear were almost non-existent then. Even though we didn’t have to wear uniforms till grade 5, we were limited. I have to admit, as limited as styles were, I loved my shoes.
After supper, pending completion of all homework of course, I had the nightly ritual of polishing my shoes until I could see my face in them. J The simple ritual of polish, wax and spit! (Only a military perfect spit-shine would do!) Then the pièce de résistance, a spritz of alcohol with the final buffing! Et voila! (Madame Slack would be proud!…of the French, not the shoe polishing!)
Sneakers were not allowed. They made your feet sweat! (Sorry . Keds You’re for after school play only.) Sandals were not allowed either. (We couldn’t risk a slip on the stairs during a fire drill!) A good sturdy Buster Brown (now we’re talking!) was always a wise choice; several styles, always classic. Saddle shoes, the classic two-tone oxford, were guaranteed to last the school year. Stride Rite Mary Janes were slightly more formal as ”Sunday-go-to- meeting” shoes…white for after Memorial Day through the summer & black after Labor Day through to Memorial Day. Penny loafers were slightly more grown up. The color of choice was ‘oxblood’; slightly red & brown combined. Pennies were engineered into the die-cut space across the instep unless of course you were older & placed a dime instead for an emergency phone call…providing of course you were adept enough to contort your fingers into the small die-cut space in an emergency & tall enough to reach the rotary dial of a pay-phone!
I do recall a rogue pair of go-go boots worn in 7th grade by a certain SMFairy, who shall remain nameless, but that’s for another day! Ooooops…I let that slip! (You know who you are!)
This brings us to the forbidden fruit of shoes…the black patent leather pump. This was the ultimate dream shoe of any 7th & 8th grader. Ohhhhh…be still my heart! This shoe was so revered, a Broadway show was written about it …AND…it is written up in Wikipedia today! Wooohooo…you go girls!
So you see, we were living legends in our own time; fashion plates of the most modest kind; sense & sensibility on the right path. Now, I’m a believer that a little razzle-dazzle never did any harm. As I put my best foot forward today, I’ll consider clicking my heals 3 times and fly away home, with glitter, buttons & bows!
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