How to Identify Shoe Clips, Dress Clips, and Fur Clips

How to Identify Shoe Clips, Dress Clips, and Fur Clips

Vintage Accessories Demystified for Collectors and Fashion Lovers

If you’ve ever dug through a vintage jewelry box and found a mysterious clip-on piece that doesn’t quite seem like an earring or brooch, you’re not alone. Many beautiful antique accessories were made to adorn clothing, footwear, and outerwear—but telling a shoe clip from a dress clip or a fur clip can feel like solving a mini mystery. Here’s how to identify them and appreciate their unique place in fashion history.

✧ 1. What Are Shoe Clips?

Shoe clips were the perfect accessory for jazzing up a plain pair of pumps. Popular from the 1920s through the 1950s (with revivals in later decades), these versatile little decorations clipped to the vamp (top) of a shoe to add sparkle, drama, or whimsy.

🖼 How to Identify a Shoe Clip:

• Back Mechanism: Look for a flat, wide clip with small teeth or prongs designed to grip leather or fabric without damaging it.

• Shape and Placement: The clip usually spans horizontally and sits flush with the shoe.

• Padding or Curvature: Some may have a slightly curved back to fit the contour of a shoe.

• No Pins or Hinges: Unlike brooches or fur clips, there’s no pin, hinge, or prong clasp—just the clip.

Tip: Shoe clips are usually sold in pairs, so if you find just one, check carefully before labeling it.

✧ 2. What Are Dress Clips?

Dress clips were a chic and adaptable accessory popular in the 1930s and 1940s. Worn singly or in pairs, they could be fastened to the neckline, collar, shoulder, hat, belt, or even a handbag for instant flair.

🖼 How to Identify a Dress Clip:

• Clip Back: Most dress clips have a hinged clip with sharp, triangular teeth to hold onto fabric firmly.

• No Pin Bar: Unlike brooches, there’s no pin across the back—just the clip.

• Often Sold in Duettes: Many came in pairs that fit into a brooch frame, known as a “duette”.

• Flat or Lightweight Construction: Designed to be worn on delicate fabrics like silk or rayon.

Tip: If it has a flat, fabric-gripping clip and no sign of a brooch pin, you’re likely looking at a dress clip.

✧ 3. What Are Fur Clips?

As the name suggests, fur clips were made to be worn on heavy outer garments—especially fur stoles, wraps, and coats. These were statement pieces, often designed with bold Art Deco or mid-century flair.

🖼 How to Identify a Fur Clip:

• Double Prongs (or Pins): The most distinct feature is the two sharp, thick prongs or pins that pierce through thick fabric or fur.

• Heavier Construction: Usually larger and more robust than dress clips.

• Spring Tension: The prongs are typically held together with a spring mechanism that allows them to flex and snap back into place.

• Back Plate: Often features a flat metal back with grooves or supports to stabilize the clip.

Tip: If the piece has dual prongs and feels weighty, it’s most likely a fur clip made for coats or wraps.

✧ Quick Reference Guide

Feature	Shoe Clip	Dress Clip	Fur Clip
Back Mechanism	Flat clip with small teeth	Hinged clip with sharp teeth	Dual prongs/pins with spring
Intended Use	Shoes	Dresses, hats, accessories	Coats, fur stoles
Weight	Light	Light to medium	Medium to heavy
Pairing	Sold in pairs	Singles or duette pairs	Usually single
Fabric Compatibility	Leather/fabric sho

✧ Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a vintage fashion enthusiast or a collector of bygone elegance, being able to identify these charming accessories adds depth and meaning to your discoveries. Each one reflects a time when fashion was expressive, detailed, and full of personality.

So next time you come across a mysterious clip-on piece—flip it over, feel its weight, and use this guide to uncover its story. You might just be holding a sparkling little treasure from a glamorous past.

Your Antique Friend,

Claudia