Between the 1950s and 1970s, children often wore metal roller skates that strapped directly over their regular shoes. These old-fashioned skates required a special metal tool called a roller skate key to tighten or loosen their fit. Many children wore the small key on a string around their neck, since losing it could make adjusting their skates difficult. Today, these vintage skates and their keys are nostalgic collectibles that remind people of a simpler time.
