The herald., 1896-01-09
( VAklflEs)
~u

Dear little feet are coming into fashion
says the loquacous shoeman. "a year age
there was a slight tendency to make the
large foot fashionable, and the sensible
began to cheer up and congratulate them
selves that reform was here. But now
their hopes are dashed and their kettle
| literally kicked over by so small and dainty
an object as the high-heeled French dane
| ing slipper. And the heel is not merely
high, it has that deadly slope toward the
middle of the sole which gives such a
| lucrative business.
"Trilby's influence upon the American
foot, though potent while 1t lasted. has
finally succumbed to the rival claims OF a
/ much more important person. Trilby Of
course, was only blanchieuse. while her
rival was a great queen, who, even though
she were born under an unlucky star, is en-
titled to more consideration In questions OF
taste than one who at the very height OF
her popularity was no more than q singing
| woman.
| Poor Marie Antoinette lost her head for
starting extrovagant styles for which the
French public objected to paying, and what
a waste it would be to become a martyr to
| fashion that dies out in a few years to
give place to an ugly common sense shoe,
| for instance!
Besides Trilby's fine figure and the foot
that went with 1t may have been all right
for the posing that she did SO we'll; but
| when 1t comes to dancing, who would care
to trip the light fantastic in anything like a
| pair Of discarded army slippers?
"All the new slippers are made after this
pattern. and it will be impossible for the
common-sense girl to have any other style
unless she has her last as we'll as her shoe
made to order. There are plenty Of slippers
ha ha Erap oh
last in spite OF protests. The slippers that
are ordered in this way are made to match
the gown with which they are to be worn.
! 1t takes about half yard Of silk brocade
| to make d pair After the shoe is decided
upon the stocking is ordered to match, and
they may cost anywhere from 81 to s25,
according to their elaborateness." and the
obliging knight Of the last bowed, sighed
and retired.
The shoe dealer also tells you that you
can wear a black shoe and stocking with
any kind Of gown, provided the shoe be
patent leather. These are SO elaborately
gotten UP that they are certainly we'll suited
| to evening wear. They have the trimmings
| of brillants and cut steel, which invade
every adjunct of the toilet Some have cut
steel straps across the ankle, but most OF
them have buckles of brilliants or steel as
| ornaments to the low vamp.
x Z x
1t Is the girl that looks fresh, bright and
happy who has the best time at a cotillon.
| She may not be pretty, she may not be
clever. but she will have numerous partners
and thoroughly good lime. Therefore, 1t
behooves every girl not to look tired, and
| to guard against this she must have COM
Portable shoes. A shoe that pinches in the
| least is bound to stamp upon a girls fea-
| tures a tagged expression before the even
| ing is half over. Yet, shoe may not
| pinch and still be very fatguing A slipper
especially may slip up and down at the heel
If too large and cause almost as much dis
comfort as a cramped feeling. Consequent
\ ly, the girl that wishes success in the ball
room should look well to the comfort of her
shoes.
My lady's slippers for the coming winter
are very delicate and elaborate; even the
mules" are in light colors. and sometimes
lexquisitely embroidered. For instance, there
is pair OF pale lavender satin, the tee COW
cred with fine network of pearls, with one
large pearl standing out prominently in the
center, like the pearl in finger ring. Old
pink shades OF satin are traced with ruby
| beads, and all the fascinating irdescent COM
| binations of the fashionable passementeries
| are seen on the toes of slippers, which are
| now selected to correspond with the trim
| ming OF the gown rather than with the
gown itself. For a toilet slipper plain red
kid Is in favor, the warmth of the color
giving cosy impression. Merely by looking
at them we fancy the little pointed tees rest
ing on the fender latter the ball is over"
while the freight fickers over a soft, warm
dressing gown, with lace lying caressingly
about white neck. House slippers for or
dinary use are in three favori;e designs
Fine black kid closely embroidered with very
small jet beads; patent leather, with a lar -,
broad rhinestone buckle. resembling those
fr'm heirloom knee breeches. placed quite
high on the instep: and patent leather, tied
with bow to match the gown or the ribbon
| on the gown-for this is to be ribbon win
1 ter. These are very popular, for one has
! only to tie in fresh bow to have virtually
IA new pair of slippers The bow should be
as large as the foot can reasonably accom-
| modate.
y x x
Surely there must have been Just as many
bright spirited girls and active, energetic
| women twenty-five years ago as there are
now. but their high spirits or exuberant
vitality did not take the form of healthy
out OF door life. They did not walk much
| How could they walk along country roads
| and muddy lanes in sandalled shoes and
| thin stockings? And the dress depicted In
the fashion plates published half century
| ago does not seem in our eyes to be very
we'll adapted for athletic sports. In large
towns 1t was thought very incorrect for
/ girls to walk in the streets even in pairs
and utterly impossible alone A maid or
| 1ootman must be in attendance il a father
| or brother was not available, and even In
| their company or guarded by a depressing
attendant, 1t was just as well in some OF
the more crowded streets that girl should
not walk at all.
Hansoms were tabooed. and women sat
| "a H-zI-