The Divine Kushins From Barefoot Originals!
This beautiful pair of late 50’s stiletto pumps is from the same period as the Arias from DeLiso Debs I posted yesterday. I wanted this one to follow the Arias so you could see the similarity in the two styles and compare the two tone treatment in the complimentary shades of brown used again here in a similar combination of leather and patent.I haven’t any records showing the exact dates either pair were produced or originally purchased, but I am confident, based on research, the names, structure, style, personal experience and exposure to other shoes from the same companies that is the late 50’s.
I love the names of some of the vintage shoe lines. This is a great example. Kushins by Barefoot Originals! The names sounds so comfortable and good for your feet!
Sleek & Elegant They Epitomized Feminine Style in The Late 50's
Do you think they were? When you see the style? Or was the name the ultimate in advertising art? They were certainly extraordinarily sexy and sleek!
Kushin’s implies extraordinary softness along the balls of the feet when wearing these! That is a stretch of the imagination!
I do wear them, but only for a couple of hours at a time. If you are going to wear super high heels, I recommend switching back and forth from high to low heels often to take pressure and stress off the balls of your feet. I am a dancer so I know! The heels on this pair are 4 and 1/4 inches high! This style of shoe is comfortable and safe to wear for short periods if you wear the right size ( usually a half size to a full size longer than you normally wear) in lower healed shoes. And if you pamper your feet in between by wearing different types of shoes. It is not healthy to put pressure on the balls of your feet day in and day out.
I am aware that I both advocate wearing high heels and warn against the pitfalls of doing so too much at the same time. I believe they are like fine chocolates – to be enjoyed in moderation! I personally find that wearing shoes of different styles and different heel heights exercises and strengthens my feet. That is another good reason to acquire many shoes of different and interesting types. Just be sure to change shoes often.
I love saying the name “Kushins by Barefoot Originals!” It is ridiculously retro and upper crust which adds to the fun of wearing the shoes! I have seen ads for Barefoot Originals in old magazines advocating the Town & Country lifestyle. The model is always wearing a pencil skirt, a cashmere sweater and a fur trimmed coat with gloves while carrying a gorgeous ladylike frame handbag. The exact same look works equally well today! And it conjures up images of the same fantasy lifestyle, even if you have put the entire look together out of brilliant vintage finds for a $100 – $150 which is quite possible to achieve. (Yes, I am writing this in 2011!)
They called this color of leather caramel, and the color of the patent leather butterscotch. Yummy! Another reason why I find vintage brown shoes anything but plain and absolutely delicious! Note how shiny the patent leather has remained! No wonder it was coveted back in the day! It is real leather and it has lasted in perfect like new condition with much use from both the original owner and me.
I have written previously that my vintage shoes are used shoes and are old and that I began collecting shoes in order to wear them. Thus I am showing them with all their signs of use and age and imperfections purposely in my photographs. In many cases I have had to do considerable restoration to extend the lives of the shoes or bring them back to life. I will point that out in some cases so you will know what has been done. These needed new heel tips and a good cleaning. Good shoemakers are delighted to get a chance to work on these elegant old shoes in my experience. They are wowed by the design and the craftsmanship.
It is well worth the investment to restore and maintain such shoes either to wear yourself or to have as works of art and examples of quality style and workmanship in a previous time.
Photos are by Fredric Lehrman & are styled by Violette de Courcy. The Kushins by Barefoot Originals are from The Lady Violette Shoe Collection.
You Can See The Famous Name Kushins in Luxurious Gold Script on the Insole.
The Beautifully Engineered Heel ~ Very Thin & Highly Stable
Tags: The Lady Violette Shoe Collection, Vintage, Vintage Shoes
