Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-26
NEW STYLES IN SHOES.
Comfort No Longer Sacrificed for
beauty I'm woman's Eootwcnr.

Comfort No Longer Sacrificed for
beauty I'm woman's Footwear.
dispatch from Lynn, Mass to the Bos-
ton Transcript says: remarkable change
in the style of womens' high grade and me-
dium shoes most in demand has slowly de-
veloped within the last few years, the sacri-
ficing of fleXibility for strength, and beauty
and grace of outline for comfort and wear
ing qualities. 1t is claimed by the leading
manufacturing firms, and this is borne out
by the jobbers, that the day of extremes in
women's shoes has gone by. In the last
two years this change has been most marked
and the styles for next season show this
even more forciby. Women's shoes will be
heavier more comfortable, and will wear
longer, and will not have such flexible soles
or fancy uppers as have been in favor in
the past. The razor shoe, which was the
last fad in the shoe line which sacrificed
comfort for a caprice OF fashion, has ceased
to be manufactured in New England facto-
ries, except to fill few western orders, and
1t is anticipated that before the end of the
season the styles in favor in the west will
be practically in line with eastern models.
The common sense toe, the coin toe and
English toe are more in favor this year
than ever and the only change which manu-
| facturers notice in the styles this year COM
pared with last are the improvements in
wearing qualities and comfort, and the
| elimination of features which are intended
to add simply to the looks of a shoe. For
| the fancy top vesting Shoes which proved so
popular in past seasons, there is little call,
| but there is a strong demand for plain
vested Shoes Following the general trend
| toward common sense" styles the favorite
makes in tan shoes are much heavier both
in uppers and soles. The high bicycle shoes
a..
low bicycle shoe, which is made much heav-
ier and stronger than has been the case in
previous years, will be largely used in wheel
| ing and general outdoor wear.
| Shoe manufacturers claim that the in
| creasng interest taken by women in ath-
letics, bicycling, golf and outdoor exercise
in general has in a great measure brought
about the demand for shoes of a sensible
type. Style must give place to strength
and comfort ITO give satisfaction in outdoor
wear, and this fact seems to have been
recognized by consumers.
The demand for high grade heavy shoes
for women has been increasing in the past
two years to such an extent that cne of the
busiest firms in Lynn manufactures nothing
else, and has doubled its business within
the last year. Shoes are also better bal
anced, and thin soles with heavy uppers, or
7 thick soles with very light uppers, are not
| manufactured today to any extent. Man
| ufacturers claim that this style of shoe was
| chiefly responsible for the returning of dam
| aged shoes to manufacturers, which has
grown to be such an expense and bother
to manufacturing firms. The consumer is
dissatisfied with shoe which does not wear
out evenly, and If one part wears out While
tho rest of the shoe is good, even if it has
| given much service as the shoe which
wears out on the upper as soon as the sole
is worn through there is sure to be dissat-
| isfaction.
1t Is probable that the manufacturers OF
| special shoes which make such features OF
comfort and wearing qualities united have
been partly responsible for a change which
is hailed with pleasure by most manufac-
turers, who have been compelled in past
years to eXpend large sums in patterns and
lasts for styles of shoes which were quickly
out of date.
The Improvement in the styles of shoes
manufactured, in spite OF the advance in
leather, is a hopeful indication of the
healthful revival of the shoe business. The
manufacturers deny that there will be any
advance in the prices paid for the standard
grades of Shoes but say that there will be
a much heavier demand for the higher
grades, and this is precisely what they most
| desire