T-bar Sandal on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
A T-bar sandal or T-bar shoe (also known in the
File:Lido, Grand Hotel des Bains. Fortepan 4365.jpg, Two boys wearing twin-strap T-bar sandals in
A T-bar sandal or T-bar shoe (also known in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
as "school sandal" or "closed-toe sandal") is a closed, low-cut shoe with two or more straps forming one or more T shapes (one or more straps across the instep passing through a perpendicular, central strap that extends from the vamp).
Classic T-bars for children are typically made of blue or brown leather
Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning (leather), tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffal ...
, have two thin straps forming a single T shape and fastened with a buckle, a broad and rounded toe box
The toe box is the section of footwear that surrounds the toes on closed-toe shoes. Toe boxes that are too tight can cause injuries and foot deformity, foot deformities, whereas wider toe boxes may be used to treat or prevent common foot condition ...
pierced with a pattern of holes, a low heel, and a crêpe rubber outsole stitched-down to the upper. Among boys, T-bars are traditionally worn with socks (sometimes without), short trousers and a shirt.
History
First seen in Europe and America in the early 1900s, T-bars became very common among children in the 1950s, particularly among boys where they supplanted pre-warMary Janes
Mary Jane shoes (also known as bar shoes, strap shoes or doll shoes) are a style of closed, low-cut shoe with one or more straps across the instep.
Classic Mary Janes for children are typically made of black leather or patent leather and have ...
. T-bar wearing declined after the 1960s nonetheless, following the cultural and clothing revolution that swept the West.
Nowadays, classic T-bars are generally considered semi-formal shoes, appropriate for school (some primary schools in the United Kingdom require that pupils wear them with their uniform
A uniform is a variety of costume worn by members of an organization while usually participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are most often worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency serv ...
). They may also be viewed as formal shoes, suitable for religious ceremonies, weddings, visits, and birthday parties for example. Having become a harder-to-find, more conservative style of footwear than they used to be, they are also sometimes associated with children of upper-class families. More modern styles are worn in casual settings, however: playgrounds, shopping centres, etc.
Although less popular than in the past, T-bars remain a timeless classic of children's fashion and, for many people, a symbol of childhood.
Gallery
Venice
Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
, Italy. in 1907.
File:D1422 B76292 C08 (8595111416).jpg, Studio photograph of a seven-year-old boy wearing T-bar sandals in Strabane
Strabane (; ) is a town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
Strabane had a population of 13,507 at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census. This article contains quotations from this source, which is available under th Open Government Li ...
, Northern Ireland, 1915.
File:Fotothek df roe-neg 0006209 026 Porträt eines Jungen mit Zuckertüte.jpg, A schoolboy with a ''Schultüte
A Schultüte (, "school cone"), also known as a Zuckertüte (, "sugar cone") in some parts of Germany, is a large cone-shaped, cornucopia-styled container made of paper, cardboard, or plastic.
When children in Germany, Austria, German-speaking p ...
'' and wearing T-bar sandals in Leipzig
Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...
, East Germany, 1951.
File:Telyn Gothic newydd i Christine Lee, 9 oed, o Ros-y-bol (8517453105).jpg, A girl harpist wearing twin-strap T-bar sandals in Wales, 1960.
File:NW, MW & ADW in 1964.jpg, Studio photograph of boys wearing T-bar sandals in Colombo
Colombo, ( ; , ; , ), is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. The Colombo metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 within the municipal limits. It is the ...
, Sri Lanka, 1964.
File:Brownie and Girl Guide Uniforms Canada circa 1975 (8202402537).jpg, A Girl Guide
Girl Guides (or Girl Scouts in the United States and some other countries) are organisations within the Scout Movement originally and largely still for girls and women only. The Girl Guides began in 1910 with the formation of The Girl Guides ...
and a Brownie wearing T-bar sandals in Canada, about 1975.
File:Hunting-MacGregor.jpg, A four-year-old boy wearing a kilt and T-bar sandals in Scotland, 1987.
See also
*List of shoe styles
This is a list of shoe styles and designs. A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously throug ...
*Mary Jane (shoe)
Mary Jane shoes (also known as bar shoes, strap shoes or doll shoes) are a style of closed, low-cut shoe with one or more straps across the instep.
Classic Mary Janes for children are typically made of black leather or patent leather and have ...
—a similar style, without the central strap.
References
{{Footwear Children's clothing Sandals Shoes