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Goodyear Welting and Custom Clothing
NEWSLETTER
1/15/20262 min read
My husband bought a new pair of Goodyear welted boots this week and it kicked off a rabbit hole of questions from me about Goodyear welting.
Can you resole any Goodyear welted shoes? (yes)
Are my leather boots Goodyear welted? (yes)
So can mine be resoled? (yes)
I wonder why it’s called that – must be named after some dude or woman that invented it. (A dude, Charles Goodyear. He didn’t invent, but patented a machine to create resoleable shoes faster.)
These were the questions I raddled off in 60 seconds, but as my husband moved on telling me I could freely wear my boots with abandon and I was aghast at the idea of not treating them like a newborn baby, I started thinking about the longevity of a great pair of shoes vs the lack of longevity in our clothing.
Why are we more willing to invest in a pair of good shoes than we are an item of clothing? Some ideas:
There are shoes available at somewhat attainable prices that are created with durability in mind.
Shoes always fit (or usually).
We aren’t shamed or coached about how we SHOULD fit into shoes.
It’s socially accepted to wear the same shoes frequently.
The idea of having everything on that list easily accessible in women’s clothing makes my mouth water. In my brand, I work to tackle size adjustability, durability, and attainability, but ooo, the social constructs I’m going to need a little help with.
So much about how we purchase, wear, care for, and dispose of clothing is based on our societal programming. It’s why we're willing to spend $500 on highlights that will last 12 weeks, but not $200 on a dress. It’s why we’re used to clothing falling apart after just a year of use. It’s the system we're accustomed to and as individuals there is only so much we can do to make a shift.
That said, next time I buy myself a piece of clothing I’m going to challenge myself to think of goodyear welted shoes AND to imagine the social changes I wish to see around style. These are the mantras I'm telling myself to prepare:
I’m looking for pieces that stand the test of time.
I will be okay with wearing them frequently and will not receive shame about how the clothing “should” look on my body.
I’m purposefully putting those thoughts into the ether so maybe they can start some tiny spark of change for women’s fashion.
