The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-10-05
A Sandal Fad.

Never before In IT'S history says the
/, London Telegraph, has the wholesale
boot trade Witnessed such a remarkable
has sprung mp within the hast few weeks
| for sandals for children's holiday wear.
| Early visitors 10 the popular seaside re-
sorts have noticed that shoes and stock
| inRs are practically abandoned by boys
and girls up TO the ages OF IL and Is
years, and that the little legs are as sun
burnt as checks and fingers. Even I'm Lon
don, in the West End and in the park
numbers of children are already wearing
| them, and those connected with the great
Industry Of Leicester and other centres
confess themselves completely puzzled al
10 the origin and swift development Of
the Innovation. I'm way IL has had
somewhat dislocaimg effect upon this
branch of commerce. .nasmuch as the
demand for childrens ordinary boots and
shoes is practically at a standstill while
those firms who have been aule TO adapt
their machinery 20 the new need are
simply overwhelmed with orders. 1t is, OF
course. too early 20 say what may be the
future effects OF the new fashion
a few Inquiries IN the city one after
noon this week sufficed To show the mag
nitude of the demand that has arisen. one
Of the largest OF the Leicester manufac-
turing firms, which has showrooms near
Chea pside. admitted that it IL I'm arrears
already with its orders. though IL Is now
and has been for some weeks past turn
ing the sandals out az the rate OF nearly
1900 pairs daN. In another instance the
heads or one OF the huge distributing
houses or general drspery in Cannon
street sent 20 another wholesale boot
maker for samples and prices 10 quote
for "a provincial buyer. and received the
4.
left 20 send and that their machinery
would be engaged To it's utmost working
capacity for the next month on the con-
tracts already in hand. notable fact on
the subject ia the strange rapidity with
which the fashion has become general
Up 10 last season few hundred pairs.
chiefly To be worn by ladies for bathing
OF shngly beaches. were all that were
required. II is about six weeks since the
present boom began, and for the last
month IL has been extending by leaps and
bounds Existing machinery required con-
siderable adaptation 10 enable Il TO cope
with the altered patterns. and many
firms hesitatcd 10 make the modihca-
tons believing that the demand was due
10 a merely passing whim Hence those
more enterprlsing houses which launched
out 10 meet the changes are deriving the
benefit. and at present prices OF sandals
arc relatively very high. compared with
those OF boots and shoes. with their great
er amount of workmanship. Bargains and
job lots are consequently, not TO he
looked for this season.
OF the hygienic and anatomical advan-
tagcs of the sandal for young children
while the foot IL growing there is no
question. The pattern that has been
adopted for the sole is well IN accord
with the outlines OF the foot. and the
method Of fastening by soft. easy straps
around the ankle allows free play for the
joint. No ono is q higher authority on thp-
foot man Mr. r. w NnIu. tho consulting
surgeon Of the MiddleseN hospital. and
he Expresses emphatic appreciation OF the
innovation. He points out that for COM
fort nd well being i'm walking Il Is nee
essary That the heel Of the wearer should
remain perfsctly steady in the back OF
the Shoe. and that unless this Is preserv-
cd, holding the foot in tta proper line
(which Is from the centre of the hoel 10
tho centre the great toe). "treading
over aud consequent abnormal strains
occur. With The sandal this becomes inn
possible. At tho same time hc urges upon
parents not 90 look upon the scandal as
= cure for rctractiou (crumpling upD OF
the toes, or MANY other OF the seeming
Is small dcformities of the feet These
arc Far less often das 10 boOtmakcrs'
mistakes. or merely local causes than 20
obscure after consequences OF measles or
other infanule COMPLAINTS.