Pappagallo Shoes : Comfortable and Cute

Pappagallo Shoes : Comfortable and Cute : Papps

The Vintage Village 
http://thevintagevillage.com/

Women from the 1960s and 1970s will remember Pappagallo shoes. These trendy ballerina flats, loafers, and tiny heels came in a variety of colors, often purchased to match an outfit.

The shoes were comfortable and good-looking. The ballet flats were especially popular in the mid-to-late 1960's. The shoes came in a variety of colors, especially in pastel green, yellow, blue, and pink.

Yet, today, Pappagallos are scarce, often found only in second-hand thrift stores.

Visit this website The Happy Homemaker, for a thread about people looking for Pappagallo shoes. http://happyhomemaker.blogspot.com/2005/06/im-bit-behind.html
According to the Happy Homemaker, "Most Pappagallo shoes were made of Italian kidskin, which allowed for the brilliant colors and the shiny appearance." And today, even though a shoe may look like a Papp, modern shoes just don't have the same "last" or mold, or pattern, and therefore don't have the comfortable Papp fit.

If any shoemaker can create a line of shoes like Pappagallo, there may be plenty of customers. "Papps" were made of soft yet durable leather, and cut in comfortable yet stylish designs.

One poster writes that his girlfriends each owned about 25 pairs of Papps, and his father sold them in his store: "The fun part was that girls almost always bought a new pair of the tasseled flats to match the new clothes they bought. The look was classic and the girls looked MUCH better than they do today..."

A husband wrote in on the occasion of his 40th wedding anniversary, to write about the first time he saw his future wife, in a college classroom in September: "I noticed how well dressed she was … wearing a Villager outfit and black leather Pappagallo shoes…I had no idea before then that Villager or Pappagallo existed, having grown up in a family of four brothers and no sisters. But I did appreciate how well she looked in her blouse, skirt and shoes."

Papps were often sold in the same store with clothing and accessories from Villager, John Meyer of Norwich, and Lady Bug.

In this day of shoes that hurt our feet, or make us look like we're wearing Munchkin or Frankenstein boots, the lovely light Papps would be a sight for sore eyes, and a good feeling for sore feet.

Read more about Pappagallo Shoes at the Merry Rose:
http://themerryrosegeneralstore.blogspot.com/2013/08/what-makes-it-pappagallo-qualities-of.html
and "Almost Like Papps"
"Almost Like Papps"

References:

The Happy Homemaker, Thread about people looking for Pappagallo shoes. Friday, June 03, 2005
http://happyhomemaker.blogspot.com/2005/06/im-bit-behind.html
The Vintage Village Green Papps
http://thevintagevillage.com/
Also See:
About Pappagallo Shoes. By Justin Graves. The Writers Network. Posted on Beauty and Style. June 07, 2011http://www.beautyandstyle.com/accessories/womens-shoes/trends/about-pappagallo-shoes
"Very few people in the fashion industry are unaware of Pappagallo shoes and its storied history. Women's shoes sold under the brand name Pappagallo were in fashion and very much in demand 40 years ago."

For a Ralph Lauren ballet flat that looks similar to the vintage Pappagallos, try this link:
Ralph Lauren http://www.ralphlauren.com/family/index.jsp?flats=&categoryId=46098046&cp=51960806.51960826.46098196&view=all&omniselect=View_All99
The difference is that the Lauren flat has an extremely pointed toe and a single seam on the back of the heel, rather than the Pappagallo extra piece of material seam.

There's also the Corso Como 'Famenka' Flat.
These have a similar appearance to the Papps, even with the striped lining.
The reviews are generally favorable, with some concern about getting a good fit through online ordering. Someone also mentioned that the shoe itself is very comfortable, but the piping around the edge can be uncomfortable. This reviewer contacted the company, which seems open to listening to customers.
http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/womens-ballet-flats

Nordstroms is listing a round toe flat for women. The shoe toe shows "cleavage." The reviews range from saying the shoe is comfortable and stylish, to some complaints about the back of the heel being too high, which is a problem with many ballet flats on the market today.
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/halogen-gala-round-toe-flat-women/3713928?origin=related-3713928-0-4-PP_OOS-Rich_Relevance_Recs_API-&recs_type=related&recs_productId=3713928&recs_categoryId=0&recs_productOrder=4&recs_placementId=PP_OOS&recs_source=Rich_Relevance_Recs_API&recs_strategy=


The Topshop "Milano" Ballerina also has a similar cut and lines to Papps.
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/topshop-milano-ballerina/3479438?origin=category&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=Cream&resultback=8470

Note: This article was originally written and published on this website The Merry Rose General Store on Thursday, November 1, 2012. On January 27, 2013, the article was updated, deleted, and then republished on The Merry Rose General Store.