Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1850-04-27
HIGH-IiEELED SHOES.
FROM THE LONDON GLADYS NEWSPAPER"

gallant and commendable enthusiasm, re-
marked that ''he who is struck with the dia-
monds which bedizen beautiful woman
does not deserve to have the privilege oil
looking at her." We do not altogether
agree with this remark, and cannot but con-
slider that the adornment of the person.
when aided by an elegant taste, has always
been one of the greatest auxiliaries of beau
ty, and one which those who really possess
il, contrive TO render most captivating
accomplishment. Such fair votares of FASH
ion are never found TO adopt, but with great
caution, the novelties which its freaks so
continually offer, and the ornamental por-
tion OF the attire is never allowed to inter-
fere with personal gracefulness. This is
one reason why addressed persons do not
succeed in looking as well as they expect.
They have interested themselves more
about their clothes than the effect which
they will produce when placed on the fig
ure, forgetting that it is the person, and not
the attire, which is 10 have a good effect,
and wearing fashions, whether becoming or
unbecoming, simply because other people
do. The first experiments in the founda-
ton of some fashion of the monstrous kind
we have no doubt had their origin rather
in the defects than the beauties of the fair
introducers, and thus proved far more be-
coming to them than to their imitators.-
The first patch no more concealed dmplc
than the first hoop disguised fine figure !:
and yet how many lovely faces and forms
have not thus been disfgurcd High shoul-
ders introduced pulled sleeves; painful
deformity, the mufllers, of whimple and
ruff; and short stature, the invention of
high heeled shoes. The latter were intro
duccd at the French court by a celebrated
beauty, whoj from the admiration bestowed
by her lover upon lady of greater height,
wished to stand equally high in his good
graces. She also introduced, at the same
time, longer garments, in order to disguise
the high pattens, or clogs of cork, from the
observer. These were gradually raised TO
such height in the fashionable world of
France, that IN the time of Henry III, 1856,
the taller ladies are described ''as wearing
neat shoes of velvet and silk stuns, with
very low heels; but females of short sta
ture exalted themselves on cork ones of
foot, or foot and half in height"
This odd fashion of high-heeled shoes
was introduced into the English court at
the period of the Restoration. The shoe
was Of white kid leather, siashed with black
velvet. lis clog was SIMPLY a straight
piece of stout leather. inserted in the under
feather at the toe, and attached TO the heel.
This mode Of beautitying the feet, by plac-
ing them in kind Of stocks, was long pop
ular, and is said to have impaired peculiar
grace and dignity TO the figure. That such
shoes were walked in is certain but that
the fair wearers could have used them in
running, it is impossible to imagine. The
evolutionS of the "Minuet de la Cour"
were, we know, performed with stately
grace but we cannot believe that any
more lively movements were at all COM
patible with safety. An effort is, we find,
now making to introduce similar aids to the
height ofthe figure; and, should they really
be successful, a great change must take
place in the world of Dance. Farewell to
waltzes, galopades, and polkas The quad
rifle will become the only practicable
dance; and the peculiarly languid way in
which ii is now performed, seems TO be
precursor of such clogs TO the feet they APP
pear TO have been anticipated and prepared
for.
Few articles OF the toilette have, per-
haps, undergone more singular changes, IN
both sexes, than that important part of
the dress, the covering of the feet. From
the times of the Anglo Saxons, who first
began to import the fashions Of England
from other countries, the form of boots and
shoes was constantly varying. They Were
long, short, peaked, round, square, with
chains, roses, buckles, laces, and ties; and
made of cloth stuff, velvet, with Jewels;
or of wood, cork, leather-the sumptuary
laws confning peculiar shoes 10 each pro-
tession. and otherwise regulating their ap-
pearance.
But, even SO long ago as the time of
Henry w., the ladies' were accused of the
"unwholesome practice" so prevalent still,
of wearing shoes so small that they could
scarcely move in them, "whereby they
have frequently their feet full Of corns"
This custom, we must in justice add, is not
confined in the present day to the ladies,
W. ~" OlANll wv VIC StC ll4t luAlIlOJdult
votary of the opposite sex "walking as if he
would tread on eggshells without crushing
them--his soul in his foot, and all his SEN
slbilIties seeming 10 be bundled up and
crushed in calfskin." The gentlemen of
olden time, in fact, have also shown more
vagaries in the adornment of their feet than
appears in these days TO be credible, and
submitted in consequence to become strange
Objects"
In the reign OF Henry w., Camden says,
"Pride was got SO much into the foot that
ii was proclaimed that no man should wear
shoes above six inches broad at the toes"
The dandies of ancient days wore the beaks
or points of their shoes so long that they
encountered themselves in their walking,
and were forced to tie them up to their
knees; the fine gentlemen fastened theirs
with chains of silver, or silver guilt, and
others with laces. This ridiculous custom
was in vogue from the year 1882; but was
prohibited, on the forfeiture Of 20s and the
pain OF cursing by the clergy, 1867.