We sortof fell off the wagon with the whole "new collection every month, woo" intention, but after a two month break, it's time for another pre-order!
This month we have a mini-collection: Keckley Victorian Booties, Bellatrix Edwardian 3-Strap Shoes, and Londoner Edwardian Oxfords in all-black leather. *Snazzy*
Pre-Order is Open July 2 - 16, 2021
$20/pair discounts
US Women's 5 - 11 & 12 (we are now offering size 10.5!)
www.AmericanDuchess.com
These adorable little side-lace booties are a re-development/re-release of the former Gettysburg booties. We've re-named them for Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley (1818-1907), the formerly enslaved mantua-maker to Mary Todd Lincoln, who built a thriving dressmaking business after buying her freedom in 1855. Keckley also became a civil activist and author, founding the Ladies' Freedman and Soldier's Relief Association and penning Behind the Scenes, her autobiography detailing her rise from slavery to businesswoman.
The Keckley booties are cotton sateen foxed in black leather with flat squared toes and side-lacing on the inside of the foot. They are a flat shoe, very comfortable and soft, and work for both day and evening attire of the 1820s - 1860s. Four colors available.
Multi-strapped "bar" shoes were the height of fashion at the turn of the 20th century well into the 1920s. The new Bellatrix shoes tick all the boxes - pointed toes, button straps, French heels. These are perfect for anything Edwardian, Downton, Titanic (Rose wears a very similar pair), Great War, Gatsby - such a versatile and attractive shoe! Four colors available.
You're all familiar with Londoner oxfords, and many of you have requested an all-black version. We're happy to finally oblige.
How Pre-Orders Work
We've changed things up a bit from how we used to run pre-orders. Now, all size quantities are unlimited during the pre-order period (2 weeks). We're offering a larger size range than before - US women's 5 - 11 (half sizes) & size 12. Once the pre-order period is over, we place our order with the factory. We do order more of each size than what was sold during the pre-order, but it's based on what was sold, so if you are a size 5, 5.5, 6, 10.5, 11, or 12, it is very advisable to pre-order your shoes, as we may not have many or any when they come into stock later.
We always offer a $20/pair discount, and all USA orders over $165 ship free, which is basically everything. The discount is our way of saying "thank you" for the wait - in the BeforeTimes we could deliver around 8 - 10 weeks; in the AfterTimes, with all industries still greatly affected by Covid shutdowns and shortages, it's taking 12 - 15 weeks. This is a hella long time to wait, so we try to make it worth your while. For pre-order releases since August 2020, we've been selling out of pretty much everything well before it arrives, so if you're madly in love with the shoes, I hope you'll consider pre-ordering to make sure you get them...we just want you to be aware of the wait time. <3
More explanations, much better written, can be found on our FAQ page here.
