The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-07-31
A CHAPTER ON SHOES.
ny q. Q. H.

coverings for the feet of which we have any knowl
| edge, was in the form of sandals.
| These, at first were rude beyond description
made OF undressed skins, bark and other materials
most easily applied to that purpose
| These articles differed materially in style though
! the form viried but slightly Those worn by the
poorer classes constructed Of fat SLICES of the
palm leaf which apped over in the centre, formed
the sole, and double band Of twisted leaves az.
cured and strengthenedthe edge sa thong of strong
hbres OF the same plant was fixed TO the instep,
and was secured around the foot while those IN
dulgcd in by tho more wealthy classes were made
OF leather, and were frequently lined with elotl,,
the point or end turning up like a pair Of modern
skates The sandal reached great state Of per-
fection among the Romans, and II was through the
galantry Of the Emperor, Aurelian, that the ladies'
were allowed the exclusive privilege Of having
them manufactured Of red, yellow, white and green
colora, the men being expressly debarred from
| this liberty. Gold precious stones, however,
were not allowed even to the ladies'
The Roman Senators wore buskns Of black
color, with crescent Of gold or silver on the top Of
the foot, and the Roman soldiers wore simple san
/ y
| The transition from the saadal to the shoe, was
Of course very gradual, and correspondngly diff
Quito trace at this day. 1t is easy to see that the
shoe is but the sandal in an improved state, and,
indeed, some of our modern shoes approach very
nearly to our ideas of the old sandal.
The forms of shoes at various times have been
Of the most ridiculous kind, and il not well authel-
tcated could not be believed by us at the present
day.
The boot is said to have been the invention Of
the Carans. II was first made of leather and after
wards Of brass and iron, and was proof against
both cuts and thrusts. 1t was from this that Ho
mer called the Greeks "brazen footed"
In the reign of Edward the Third of England
the "gentle craft !" as the trade Of shoe making
was then POLITICALLY called produced boots and
shoes of the most gorgeous and brilliant descrip-
tions.
The greatest variety Of patterns, and the richest
contrasts OF colors were aimed at by the makers Of
shoes For beauty of pattern and splendor Of effect
the English shoe of the middle ages is beyond all
Greek and Roman fame, for their sandals and
shoes have not half the grandness contained in
the shoes Of this period.
About this time it was customary for one shoe TO
be black and the stocking blue, the other leg Of
the same figure, being clothed in black stocking
and white shoe.
The shoe was cut very low over the instep. the
heel being entirely covered and band fastened
by a simple buckle or button passing round the
ancle, secured it to the foot.
The boots and shoes worn during the fourteenth
century were of peculiar form, and the toes
which were heightened to poiat, turned inward
or outward, according to the taste of the wearer
In the reign of Richard IT. they become i'm
mensely long, 40 that it il asserted they were
chained TO the knee of the wcarer, in order 10 al
low him to walk about with ease and freedom
IL was, of course, only the nobility who could thus
Inconvenience themselves and it might have been
adopted by them asa distinction stil very pointed
toes were worn by all who could afford to he FASH
ionable
From this extreme Of length, iouintroduced,
during the reign of Edward Nv, another equally
absurd The king enacted that any shoemaker
who made for unprivileged persons (the nobility
being excepted any shoes the toes of which ex-
ceeded twp inches in length, should forfeit twenty
shillings
This had the effect OF widening The toes; aud
they became as laugbably broad, as they had for
meriy been rdiculously long. To counteract this,
Mary, in her reign proclaimed that the width Of
the toe should not exceed six inches.
Another absurd fashion prevailed about tlis De.
rod, being shoes made with pixies in the bottom,
30 as TO elevate the wearer above the ground -
This fashion, however, could not have remained
very popular with the nobility, for we find that,
durirg the reign Of Edward III and " and Henry
VIII, severe penalties were denounced against
"piked shoes, short doublets and long coats"
In the year 1888 the fashionsbles wore corkcd
shoes, puisnets, psntoaies and slippers, some of
them OF black velvet some Of white, some Of green,
and some Of yellow; some Of Spanish leather. and
some Of English, stitched with silk, and embroider-
ed with gold and silver all over the foot with rew-
gaws innumerable Rich and expensive shoe lies
were now brought into use, and large sums Of
money were lavished upon their decorations.
poet alluded to the extravaganza of those who
"Wesra farm in shoe strings edged with gold
And spangled garters worth copy hold
The rose shoes were made Of lace which was as
beautiful, costly and elaborate
During the reign Of Charles /, the boots be-
came very large and wide at the top
IL will be borne in mind that the tops were out
side OF the pants, and wide were they at times as
TO obhdge the wearer TO aide much IN walking, a
habit that was much ridiculed by the satirists OF
the day.
There wss print published representing a
dandy in the height Of fashion, whose legs are en-
closed in boot-hose tops tied about the mid die of
the calf as long as pair Of shirt sleeves, double at
the end like ruffband; the top Of his boots very
large frnged with lace, and turned down as low as
his spurs, which jingled as he walked.
The top boots were capable Of being turned over
beneath the knee. which they completely covered
Mlnn Tlau rror a. q - q a -.