At last! I found them! Ever since HBO’s Boardwalk Empire TV show came about, I have drooled over Nucky Thompson’s shoes in the opening credits. It is very rare to see shoe advertisements or photographs from the 1920s showcasing black and tan wingtip oxfords. Usually 1920’s men’s shoes were solid brown, brown on tan, or brown and off white combinations. The rarity of the black and tan combination at first made me doubt the authenticity of the shoes. I do, however, trust that the historical costume designs of Boardwalk Empire have far more resources than I do — and surely, they did their homework.
Sparing no expense, the shoes featured in the opening credits are new, hand-made Italian leather Forzieri wing tip shoes. If I could afford to cough up $600 on a pair for myself I certainly would. However, I’m all about “close enough” costuming, so I keep my eyes out for a pair of two tone wingtips that would give the same overall look without the high price tag.
Here are some 1920s style men’s shoe options I found online:
Debbie Sessions has been teaching fashion history and helping people dress for vintage themed events since 2009. She has turned a hobby into VintageDancer.com with hundreds of well researched articles and hand picked links to vintage inspired clothing online. She aims to make dressing accurately (or not) an affordable option for all. Oh, and she dances too.
