Saddle shoes are a particular style of shoes known for its dual colors—often black and white, with white for the toe and the back, and black on the middle portion of the shoe which contains the eyelet. The black portion is shaped like a saddle, hence the name. Saddle shoes have long been considered the ultimate American shoes. They are slowly gaining a comeback especially among young teenage girls in the Southwest US.

Saddle shoes rose to popularity in the ’50s when they were worn by girls along with pleated skirts and bobby socks. Boys usually wore saddle shoes with sports jackets. The shoes were popularly worn on occasions when men and women would jive, dance to the jitterbug, or rock to the music of Elvis. Saddle shoes are also worn by men today, particularly as golf shoes because saddle shoes offer a great toe hold and traction, perfect for putting or swinging. Saddle oxfords are also another variation that is extremely popular among modern executives.

How to care for saddle shoes

Caring for saddle shoes is nothing like caring for other styles of leather shoes. Here are some basic tips for you to get the most out of your saddle shoes:

• Never ever use neutral polish made of petroleum distillates and conventional cleaning fluids when shining your saddle shoes.
• Don’t attempt to dry wet shoes with a heater or blow dryer. Air dry them and wipe with a dry cloth; don’t attempt to shine shoes when it’s still wet. Contact with moisture can usually lead to the formation of raised bumps called welts, but these disappear once the shoe dries.
• Do not load up on the shoe polish when shining your shoes. Too much polish can cause buildup, which covers the natural shine of the shoes and can lead to grainy deposits on the creases of the shoes. Too much polish also easily attracts dust.
• You can prolong the life of your shoes by adding protective soles. You can get waterproof and skid-proof soles to add greater stability.

Today’s saddle shoes

Today’s saddle shoes still have a classic look, but there are a lot of other colors other than black and white. However, most designs still have leather uppers and rounded toe boxes with a saddle of a contrasting color. Sport saddle shoes are now fitted with shock-absorbing midsoles as well as modern stabilizers. You can also find shoes in the design of saddle shoes but are made of other materials aside from leather.