If you are thinking about dressing like the ladies of Downton Abbey, you are not alone. Downton Abbey-inspired clothing and shoes is a fashion trend that is taking the world by storm. No matter what season of Downton Abbey you are going for, there are plenty of shoes to buy that will coordinate with your Downton Abbey clothes. Vintage shoes are too fragile and too narrow for our modern feet, but new Downton Abbey styles shoes can be found online with a little help. These styles span the entire season of the TV show, from 1912 to 1925.
1920s Style Shoes – Learn about these styles
Here are 5 styles of Downton Abbey shoes you can buy:
5 Downton Abbey Style Shoes
Lace up boots
Lace Up Boots– The first season of the show was set in 1912, when shoes were just starting to be seen under all those Victorian dress layers. For walking and general day wear, lace up Victorian or “granny” boots in black, brown, or white leather were the primary shoes for women. Downton ladies were wearing these boots in season 1 and the older ladies, like the Dowager Countess, probably continued to wear them through the 1920s as well. Shop Victorian style lace up boots.
Tavistock Victorian Boots
Button Boots – An alternative boot to the lace up style was the button boot. With straight or scalloped edges, the button up boot was an elegant boot for ladies. Some fancy varieties came in pretty silk fabrics, but most were in soft kid leather. As shoes replaced boots, the buttons stayed on, giving the illusion that ladies were wearing boots under their dresses. Learn about and shop for button-up boots and other Edwardian style shoes here.
Multi Strap Pumps at DNA Footwear
Multi Strap Pumps– Boots were on their way out of style and low heels pumps were coming in by 1920. Shoes had a max of two inch heels with a construction of leather, silk, or pretty damask fabrics. They featured multiple straps with buttons or buckles. There could be two three or four straps going straight across the vamp or criss-crossed for a little more style.
Mary Jane Shoes
Mary Jane Shoes – The simple single strap Mary Jane shoe has been a fashion staple for centuries. They were popular before lace up boots and remain popular right up to now. This makes them the easiest to find today. Keep the heels low, the toes rounded, and add a fancy shoe clip for some extra Abbey fashion.
T Strap Shoes
T-Strap Pumps– Season 3 brings us to 1920, where the T-strap or T-bar pump was all the rage. Finally, shoes started to look fun with little cut outs in the straps, geometric shape T bars, and many color choices. For day wear, shoes were usually black, tan, or white but for eveningwear the colors matched the dresses. By season 4, we see some vivid T -strap shoes in rich silver and gold with gems splattered all over. Shop for 1920s style shoes.
We can help you find the Downton Abbey costume you’ve been dreaming of. If you don’t find what you need here, contact us for more help.
Shop Downton Abbey Shoes and Boots
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.
