Summer Shoes Part 1: The Spectator

Also called co-respondents, the classic summer shoe.

Originated as sporting and hunting footwear, but by the 1880’s had transcended into fashion. The Prince of Wales (Edward VIII) helped their popularity when he wore tan and white spectator shoes during a 1925 visit to the U.S., and further popularized them as golf shoes in 1937. Fred Astaire wore them to dance in, and they became the signature shoes of jazz musicians, gangsters and zoot-suiters through the early 1940’s.

-excerpt from 'The Encyclopedia of Men's Clothes' by R. Andrew Gilchrist