Why mid-century houses had small closets: The Century in Shoes

Our mid-century houses have small closets because our relatives had less stuff. Case in point: According to the nifty little website, The Century in Shoes, in 1940 the average American woman owned just five pairs of shoes. That was considered a lot. But, even that upward trend came to a screeching halt in 1943 when the U.S. began rationing shoes. If you have a few minutes, take a quick walk through shoe history, using this site’s “dial a decade.” Just like looking at the history of steel kitchen cabinets, the history of shoes embraces so much more than you would ever think. History. It’s funny that way. Meanwhile, if you want (dare I say “need”?) some 1940s style shoes of your own, remember my recent post about reproduction Re-Mix Vintage Shoes.