Women's Footwear in America

When I think of my favorite shoes growing up 3 come to mind. My huaraches from Mexico.  My dad taught us to stand in the bathtub with them on and then wear until dry so they could conform to your feet. My moccasins that were sent to us every year — I always thought from a friend of my dad’s at Minnetonka. I only just recently learned that my Dad had worked as a designer and stylist for Minnehaha (a contemporary or Minnetonka) in the 1950’s — one of the advantages of having a dad in the shoe business who was well liked was the shoes that came with that. Read more about my dad who would wake us up singing “there’s no business like shoe business ” —  Ode To An Older Parent And Tribute To The Veteran In My Life  by award winning Television writer sister Liz Benjamin.  It pretty much says it all.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

…and my 3rd favorite were my Penny Loafers. Going to school in Florida I  wore them without socks and always with 2 new Pennies.

Courtesy Library of Congress, Reproduction Number: LC-USW3-039059-E (b&w film nitrate neg.) LC-DIG-fsa-8d33850 (digital file from original neg.)

Loafing Around | A Brief History of Fashion’s Favorite Flat

In 1936 George Henry Bass created the first Penny Loafer based on a Norwegian farm shoe and called them Weejuns.

Audrey Hepburn

College Days. My mother is the first woman bottom left.