The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1886-02-04
FASHIONS SHOES.
How the Fancies OF Men and Iyvomea Sos
Foot Coverings Have Changed.

AoU tne fancieS o. Men and Is"OmeN Sp5
Foot Coverings Have Changed.
There have been notable changes in
the fashions of footwear within gene
ration. IN earlier days males wore long
top boots the year round almost excltl-
sively, only varying in thickness. Even
in this respect the variations were fre-
quently limited to process OF oiling Or
"greasinG." The women stuck quite
persistently to low-c;:t slnoas, or,to speak
precisely. TO slippers for Summer, and
buskins for Winter. These dainty slip
pers laced with galioon upon the ankle
produced a bcwitching effect. Coca
sionally one saw Il woman in bootees.
These were the pioneers of sidelace
CATERS which came along later. OF
course there was some better protection
required to overcome the Giscomforts
from deep SHOWS and wearincss of trav-
el, for which the facilities were then so
meager, and these were afforded by the
ubiquitous wOolen socks which were
worn over the shoes and ankles. Save
in large cities or villages very few of the
new rubber shoes were worn. These
were luxuries seldom indulged in, be-
cause of the cost and OF the lack of
knowledge as to their repellant quail
ties, rs well rs to the labor required in
confirming the ungainly things to the
contour OF the shoe. In the course of
events customs have changed materially.
With the incoming of women's gaiter
boots men began 10 grow more partial
to shoes, and gradually discarded the
longleg appendage. The prevalence
OF hoop skirts among women rendered
q species of protective footwear necessa-
~, while on the ether hand the style of
tight-titting trousers with men made the
legs of boots an incumbrance. Rub-
Der shoes, meanwhile, have become
cheap and popular, SO that both sexes
are on 4 plane Of equality in the matter
Of covering for tie feet.
Abiding to oiling or greasing boots
in early time for Winter service recalls
the cheerful fireplace where the opera
ton was conducted. This was before
the era OF stoves, when sitting around
the ample wood fire of q Winters eve
ming was a signal for conviviality,
with such wholesome refreshments as
apples. pumpkin-pie and sparkling
cider, and such amusements rs check
ers, fox OF geese or 12-penny morris.
The operation Of greasirg was usually
performed with melted beef fat, though
many affected neatsfoot oil as superior.
The task was usually allotted to one of
the youngsters who rubbed the grease in
with bare hand SO long as the leather
thoroughly heated by the fire, would
soak it. This proceeding rendered the
surface imperrious to water, kept it soft
and pliabie as well, and helped to ex-
clude cold. The objection to this treat
ment was that boots could never be
polished, but plain country people didn't
do that much, unless it might be some
young men with taste for sparkling.
The custom of measurement shoemak-
ing that formerly prevailed SO extensive
ly is worth mentioning. Sale work,
called deri5ively ''slop work." was rare
ly seen or handled. A shoe store III the
most populous towns was II place where
ready made shoes could be procured,
though the largest portion Of its CUSTOM
ers LETT their measures, which were in
turn transferred to various cordWainers
to be attended to. Many of these latter
made periodical visits 10 the house of
customers and supplied their wants.
The incest boots We're found among the
importers. We had not then acquired
the facility for producing q boot equal
in style and lit to the French article.
When shoes began to supersede boots,
over-gaiters came into use and have
been worn ever since with scarcely any
change. Not 4 few persons use them.
There was not much difference in con-
touf>or construction between the gaiter
Of 1870 and that OF 1885. at one period
an alteration was tried, steel spring
was substituted for buttons, but it was
nm unsuccessful experiment, and was
followed by return TO the original
method.
The il,mediate predecessors OF india
rubner shoes iCr wear in cities where
paths were prepared during the snowy
We're articles technically des-
cribed rs '.galoches. They were. in
TACT, leather oyenshoes, save that the
protection came TO the sole OF the foot
rather than to other parts. The proto-
type OF this shoe was the ancient "ciog,"
which, indeed, was worn as q shoe Or
foot covering, instead OF rs IN extran
aous protector. In later years the
''patten" of England was kindred 20
-he 'galoche." There was always some
hing natty in the appearance OF this
article, and the facility with which it
could be donned was in It's favor Us
well. Yet, woe to the individual who
attempted the use OF q new pair upon
cy walks where the hard and smooth
;oles beguiled frequent downfalling to
he tninitiatcd. The original vulcan
zed rubber shoes had leather bottom.
md it constituted an objection hard to
overcome because they were so slippery.
i'ile use of rubber bottoms came as Il
'enison TO the appreciation Of this spe-
lies OF fOotwcar.-flOna the Shoe and
Leather Reporter.