How fortunate that you lost one of the stamped out of sheet metal buckles. Seriously, I mean it. You can now hang out on eBay, or browse your local antique malls, in search of a pair of nice 19th/early 20th century shoe buckles which will enhance you shoes, no end.

My ancient shoes (well, 40 year old shoes) don't have removable buckles, and replacing the stamped tin buckles with proper cut steel buckles was a brass bound bitch of a job. That said, it was absolutely worth the effort.

A good pair of antique buckles should cost between $25 and $75-- and will look like a million dollars on your shoes!