It’s been a moment since I’ve reminisced about childhood fashions. Let’s go down Memory Lane. Some of you may remember Nancy Sinatra’s song, “These Boots Are Made For Walking?” that debuted in 1966. At that time, go-go boots were the thing to have. Fast-forward to this post: I’m talking about shoe fashion. Specifically, these Frye shooties are made for walkin’ in Paris.
According to the Long Island Museum’s 2015 exhibit on Beth Levine, “Beth Levine: The First Lady of Shoes,” the sleek white go-go boots that Nancy Sinatra often wore when performing that hit song were designed by Levine.
When Nancy wore the Levine boots in publicity shots for the hit song, demand for fashion boots became so great that Saks Fifth Avenue opened “Beth’s Bootery,” a special section in their shoe department in New York.
Beth designed shoes for three First Ladies: Jackie Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, and Pat Nixon. Her clientele included movie stars and musicians, including Betty Davis, Liza Minelli, and Barbara Streisand. The designer died in 2006 at age 91 of lung cancer.
I did a play on the Nancy Sinatra song for this week’s blog title; These Frye Shooties Are Made for Walkin.’ Why? I accomplished my mission to find comfortable, low-heeled, stylish shoes to walk the quaint cobblestone Parisian streets on my Ama Waterways Seine River Cruise. Note. A shootie is a woman’s ankle-high boot like a shoe, but you knew that, right?
As a teenager growing up in the 1970s, I worked at a local department store named Gimbel’s in Philadelphia. I spent my weekly pay on shoes and handbags. I wore Candie’s Italian leather mules, Dr. Scholl’s Exercise Sandals, Famalore’s ‘Get There’ platform shoes, clogs, and, for sure, go-go boots.
So, back now to the two pairs of shooties I scored: Frye “Billy” Western-style Shootie and Lucky Brand “Brolley” from DSW.
I plan to pack Converse Pink Chuck Taylor Dainty low-top sneakers, too. Now that I have found these comfortable Frye shooties and chosen five chic pieces to pack, I’m ready for Paris.
Did anyone else sport go-go boots in the late ’60s or ’70s? Do you have any fond memories to share? Please do tell.
Have a fabulous and stylish week,
I loved Nancy Sinatra and also longed for those boots! Great article and you look amazing! Loved photographing you on Saturday!
Love the shot of those Go GO boots! Your outfit rocks! Love the Frye shooties! The metallic trench : Yes!! That shot of you in the 70’s is precious and so stylish!
xx, Elle
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