Retro shoes: pumps, mules and ballerinas

The glass shoe left on the steps of the palace by Cinderella will remain present for a long time in the collective imagination. A symbol of feminine grace and elegance, it will allow Prince Charming to find his bride after many trials among the young girls of the country.


Along with mules and ballerinas, this category of shoes has crossed the ages to become an accessory appreciated by fans of vintage, pinup, retro or rockabilly clothing styles of the 1950s.

Vintage retro pumps

Originally worn by both men and women, pumps, from the Italian scarpino (small shoe), became exclusively feminine during the 20th century. It is a shoe with a high heel, minimum 4 cm, more or less open and without closure, except sometimes a strap at the ankle. The toe can be closed or open, rounded or square. It is the height of the heel that defines the name of pump, beyond 10 cm we speak of stilettos. Introduced in 1947 during a Christian Dior fashion show, these are the favourite shoes of French women, with an average of six pairs bought per year. Among our collections you will find vintage pumps typical of those worn by women in the 50s and 60s, as well as retro pumps inspired by the pin-up rockabilly period.

Vintage retro mules

Worn from the 18th century onwards, mules are light and comfortable shoes open at the back. In the 1950s, Marilyn Monroe popularised them to become the favourite accessory of pinups and followers of the retro vintage movement. When they are intended to be worn indoors, they are called slippers. In our catalogue you will find a whole range of retro mules to wear on a daily basis with heels of different heights, always glamorous.

Vintage retro ballerinas

Although ballerinas also became fashionable in the 1950s, we have to go back to the 1930s when a certain Jacob Bloch adapted the ballet shoe to be worn every day. It is a closed shoe, light and without heel whose manufacture calls upon the technique of the "cousu retourné" which consists in sewing the sole with the reverse side. Comfortable, accessible and more or less fancy, ballerinas touch today all generations of women and also all styles, that's why we have in our catalogue retro vintages ballerinas with pastel colours but also original pin up rockabilly ballerinas.


You will find in the shoe collections of l'Antre de Syria models of retro vintage pumps but also mules and ballerinas of the brands New Rock, Pin Up Couture, Pleaser, Bordello or Funtasma. In real or imitation leather, in fabric, more or less retro or rockabilly, they will perfectly match your style of dress, whether it is classic, romantic or eccentric.

The retro shoe collections of the shop :

Pump collection

Wedge pumps collection

Mule collection

Ballerina collection