Men’s shoes at the turn of the century changed little from the Victorian era before. Lace up boots remained every man’s day shoe, regardless of working class or gentlemen status. All classes had their own style variations, materials, and color preferences. As more leisure pursuits opened up for men, the short lace up Oxford shoe grew in popularity.
Cuban or military heels replaced the Victorian stacked heel, and the heel height rose to 1.25 to 1/5 inches. Pull tabs were placed on the back of boots to help prevent wrinkles in the shaft, and laces were wide and flat.
Edwardian Men’s Boots
The lace up ankle boot with a smooth or cap toe in black was the most common style of footwear for men. To make them, two tones of black or two skin types were often combined.
Gentlemen with more flare to their style could opt for fabric top boots (wool or satin), canvas boots, and two tone boots (brown and black, grey and black, or cream and brown). Tan boots could be worn in summer in the country, but never in the city. Leather was made from colt (horse), kangaroo, and calfskin.
-
- 1902 Cap Toe Lace-Up Boot
-
- 1907 Black and Grey Dress Boot with Cap Toe
-
- 1905 Brown and Black Two Tone Boots
-
- 1910 Men’s Dress Boots
1902 Fancy Silk Fabric Top Boots
The pull-on Congress boot was another popular style of boot for men who didn’t want the fuss of tying laces. Elastic side panels on either side made them easy to slip on. Boots with both laces and elastic side panels were also offered.
-
- 1900 Lace-Up Congress Boots
-
- 1902 Pull-On Congress Boot
The spat top boot with a row of buttons on the sides were very popular going into the 1900s, but quickly faded. However, they never left men’s footwear offerings. Many older men as well as dapper young men opted to keep the style alive. After 1910, it would come back in fashion among the young and trendy.
-
- 1902 Wool Top and Patent Leather Button Boots
-
- 1908 Black Leather (Matte Top, Patent Bottom) Button Boots
Work Boots
Working classes also wore lace up boots, although the overall shape was less refined than that of men’s dress shoes. Sturdier and more flexible materials, thicker laces spaced out further, a wide bellow tongue, and rubber soles were features of men’s work boots.
Every job had its own style of work boot for every season. All-rubber boot or oil coated boots and shoes were worn in wet climates. Over-the-calf boots were ideal for walking in difficult terrain. Felt boots were warm and flexible for mountain logging. These are just of a few of the basic work boots.
Learn more about winter/snow boots here.
-
- 1900 Lumberman’s Boot (Gum Rubber Coated Duck Cloth)
-
- 1902 Felt and Rubber Boot
-
- 1907 Work Boots
-
- 1909 Men’s Work Boots
-
- Buckle-Top Tall Boots for Sport or Work
-
- Lace-Up Tall Boots for Work or Hunting
Oxford Shoes
The Oxford shoe, while not a new invention, found new purpose in the Edwardian era. Previously, it had been reserved as a sport or casual shoe (worn with summer suits/summer outfits). After 1900, it was being seen on the city street, especially when paired with short cropped and cuffed trousers.
A Morning Suit paired with Oxford Shoes. Very dapper!
Oxfords were either plain or (more often) cap toe with long round toes, or shorter round toes for a “sportier” effect. Patent leather look dressier than matte leathers.
Unlike the skinny string laces we use now, Oxfords in the 1900s featured wide flat ribbon laces that tied in a big bow. When paired with short trousers and colorful clocked socks, the look was very fancy and a touch feminine.
-
- 1900 Simple Cap Toe Oxford Shoe
-
- 1902 Short Cap Toe Patent Leather Oxfords
-
- 1900 Plain or Cap Toe Oxfords
-
- 1902 Smooth, Long-Toe Oxford Shoe
Oxford were usually lace-up styles but could also be button or buckle tops. The two tone combinations with military heels and spade soles were leaders in the new wave of trendy men’s footwear. These odd shoe shapes and decorations were short lived, just like the rah rah suits they were worn with.
-
- 1906 brown an tan oxford shoes
-
- 1907 black and tan oxford shoes
1908 Unique Oxford Shoes with Lace, Buckles, and Button Tops
Read More
- Men’s Rah Rah Suits of 1908-1918
- History of Men’s Winter Boots
- 1900-1960s History of Men’s Socks
- 1910s Edwardian Working Class Clothing
- 1910s Men’s Casual Clothing
1900s Men’s Shoes and Boots
Recreating men’s footwear of the 1900s isn’t very difficult now thanks to a revival of lace up boots. A basic pair of Oxfords is also period appropriate, although I would encourage you to change out the laces for ribbon. These are some choices for dress boots, work boots, and Oxford shoes that are in the Edwardian style:
