ShoesShoesAny of the footwear sold at Festival is acceptable, although I strongly recommend obtaining your shoes well before opening day, to allow for a break-in period. Nothing is worse than having to perform all day Sunday with blisters on your feet!
Also acceptable are "Chinese slippers," available for relatively little money (around six bucks) at flea markets and Asian grocery stores. These are actually pretty close to Period shoes (aside from the plastic soles, of course). I suggest, if you choose this option, getting a pair of sport insoles (Dr. Scholl's make an excellent pair) from a drugstore or Wal-Mart. The insoles will cost more than the shoes at around $8-10, but your feet will thank you.
If it is appropriate to your character, boots are also an option. A Gentleman might wear tall boots reaching to his knees or above. These can be ordered from a number of places, or made by topping a pair of square-toed motorcycle boots. Avoid the ones with a Harley-Davidson logo. Not only are they more expensive, but the logo will cause them not to be approved. The cheapest option for boots is a pair of Minnetonka Moccasins with the fringe cut off. The side-lace version is preferable, but the front-lace variety will also be accepted.
The above moccasin boots notwithstanding, in general laced shoes are not Period. Shoes were pretty strictly pull-on, or sandals (of course, no Birkenstocks) for very poor characters, with the occasional small buckle. Large buckles did not come in for about a hundred years after the period we portray. Smaller ones, such as often found on Mary Janes, are acceptable.
If you are feeling particularly gung-ho to make your own Period footwear, try this link for shoes, and this one for boots.
