The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-01-17
FOR wOMAN'S FEET.
from the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
"a well-dressed woman is known BY
her shoes and gloves" is a saying on
which most women have been brought
| up. French people tell US that it is very
rarely an American or English woman,
or. indeed, any but Parisenne. is to
be seen what they call bien chausee
! and bien gantee. By these terms they
do not mean simply good-looking boots
and shoes, but they mean boots appro-
pirate to every costume and fitting the
foot to perfection, while the gloves
| should be made to order, and while
covering the hands, not conceal their
beauty, as do the cheaper varieties,
which French women despise. Appro-
pirate foot and hand covering for every
occasion is absolutely demanded in Or
der to be up to the standard, and it is
to be feared the French have still, as
nation, though not as individuals, the
advantage of us in this particular.
Some women are wonderfully like
peacocks in the way in which they are
perfectly willing to spend a lot of
money on their hats and costumes and
let their feet go badly shod, contend
ing that their feet rarely show, and SO
long as the shoes are comfortable it
don't much matter how they look
Never was there a greater fallacy
The gown may be ever SO long, but the
foot is never SO entirely hidden as is
supposed, and what can be uglier than
to see a handsome skirt lifted and a
badly fitting, inappropriate boot or
shoe prOtruding?
With the advance of civilization we
are rapidly getting to have more sensi-
bic notions about many things. With
athletics and the fad for all outdoor
exercise has come the sensible,
broad soled, fat heeled walking
boots, in place of the high heel and
narrow sole so fashionable in our moth
ers' time. Long walks now are not so
much to be dreaded when the feet are
well shod. The most fashionable as
well as useful shoe for all practical
purposes is light weight French calf
skin, which must be kept blackened
and polished like mems boots. 1t is
made generally on what is known as
the English last-that is, with broad
soles and pointed toes and low,
round, broad heels. 1t must fit COM
fortably, but as most of the leading
shoe shops keep this style, it does not
of necessity have to be made to order
Some women can not wear the very
heavy soles, nor the heavy weight of
calfskin, and therefore all grades are
to be had. For those who can not wear
calfskin at all shoe is made on the
same lines of the heavier kind of kid
Patent leather shoes and boots with
pointed toes are considered more dressy
and are worn with more elaborate
walking costumes. Patent leather
boots with cloth tops or kid tops are
very much the style for wear for recep-
tions with velvet and silk costumes.
They are made with rather high heels,
but are on the same last, with broad
soles and pointed toes. Buttoned and
laced shoes are equally worn this sea-
son. The advantage of laced shoes is
particularly for long walks or for skat-
ing, because they can be made tighter
or looser, as the wearer desires, and
support the ankles better than the
present style of button shoes, which
have the buttons so far apart. Some
Of the very outre shoes, which are
made to look as mannish as possible,
have long vamp, and only come
up as far as the ankle, and have
only six buttons of large size. This
fashion suits some few women, to
whom tailor-made costumes are becom-
ing. But it is essentially unfeminine.
and can not by any means be consid-
cred desirable.
To look into the closet of one of the
fashionable women of to-day is sur
prising; the number of boots. shoes and
slippers she requires would be difficult
for her country cousin to believe. Each
and every one is on its wooden tree as
carefully polished and in order as can
be. The whole thing looks very mas
culine, but it is not to be sneered at,
for there is no disputing the fact that
they keep their shape and wear far
better when all this care is taken.
SealsSin with patent leather trim
mings is one of the newest fashions,
but it is really too heavy looking to be
very smart. and only from its oddity is
effective. OF course it is only used in
walking boots.