Hey guys! This week’s blog post is going to be a tad educational, about a topic I love to cover most - how historical fashion circulates into modern trends years later. One of my favorite trends that has stayed strong in the underground and alternative subcultures but has come back into vogue are creepers.
Creepers are typically known for their suede bodies, platform soles, and D-ring grommets for laces. Creepers have remained popular in the alternative and goth subcultures for decades, and sales of the shoes have risen the past decade after years of being a dormant expression of fashion aggression.
But what if I told you creepers have an even older history than the days of the Velvet Underground and Vivienne Westwood?
Brothel creepers originated from the days of World War II, where British soldiers would wear suede boots fashioned with repurposed rubber soles from tires to “better navigate the climate” (Rebel Circus). They were deemed “Brothel Creepers” because troops would creep into shadier venues when returning from war in London.
Brothel creepers were then appropriated with the Teddy Boy style in the 1950s - the first of the “goths”. The rest is, for a lack of a better term, history.
Creepers are any goth’s staple statement piece, offering height and malevolence to the wearer. I remember my dad once calling them “Frankenstein shoes”....
Well, there you have it. Many modern styles have vast and interesting history and stories behind them, and creepers’ history is one of my favorite stories to tell.
Hope this post was interesting and educational! Thanks for reading,
Lorraine
Here are some more reading materials on the history of creepers: