Foot-Coverings | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 30, 1873

Foot-Coverings.

The mistaken notion that only a small foot can lay claim to beauty, even though its smallness come by compression and not by nature, is slowly but surely giving way; and the shoemakers will hasten to avail themselves of the change.

Last summer an attempt (it failed, we are sorry to say) was made to introduce broad soles and square, English toes. Standing in the shop-windows, their effect was not so pretty as the effect of the dainty, narrow-tipped, pointed-heeled French gaiters. Therefore, they were scouted as ungainly by the happy mortals whose feet, despite a long siege of French boots, were still tolerably sound. This year, however, some relief is looked for, and the only permanent relief will come, not with plasters and lotions, but with wide, sensible soles, and low, broad heels. The way has already been opened by the introduction, this season, of these desirable alterations into the low shoes called, indifferently, “Croquet slippers,” “Oxford ties,” “Newport ties,” and a variety of other names. These are to be followed in the autumn by buttoned walking-boots of kid and goat-skin, having square toes with rounded corners, broad soles—the widening from toe to joint being scarcely perceptible—and low heels, not more than half the height of the absurd French ones. But it must not be supposed that, in thus obtaining comfort, good looks are abandoned. Anybody who has worn these ease-giving shoes knows that they are vastly more becoming than the strictly Parisian gaiter. The breadth of sole, permitting a corresponding narrowness of the upper leather, so sustains the foot that, even in an old boot, it is not inclined to spread, as it must where the upper is wide, and the sole slender. A well-shaped foot, though it be large, is beautiful; and a misshapen foot, as small as Cinderella’s, is ugly. No foot can remain beautiful where the toes are unnaturally cramped, or when the entire weight of the body is thrown on to the toes by exaggerated heels.

Beyond this important change in form, there will be but little difference in the new fall boots. Buttoned gaiters are such decided favorites that it is unlikely they will be displaced before another spring, though balmoral boots, lacing on top, and kid gaiters, lacing on the inside, will be somewhat worn by those who prefer novelty to grace.—“Home and Society,” Scribner’s for September.