There’s no question that ladies fashions in the 1950s were decidedly feminine. Fit and flare silhouettes and bullet bras were favored and to go with this very womanly look were the ever-present high heels.

From stiletto to Cuban to kitten, heels were the shoe for most women in the decade. And, a flurry of innovations during the decade meant there was always something new going on. In 1956 a studio in Norwich, England, was painting tiny designs by hand on heel forms in painstaking detail. Birds and flowers were 2 common themes, but some of the designs also included thousands of delicate rhinestones. Just imagine having a pair of shoes this glamorous in your closet!

It’s a shame that styles like these never really caught on because we could imagine a pair of heels like this being one of the most prized possessions of a lady back then. Have a look at how they were made in the fascinating video below.

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