The Washington times., 1913-08-06
WOMEN OF CAPITAL
HAVE SMALL FEET
Don't Squeeze EN- Into Shoes
That Are Too Little, Either,
Julia Murdock Finds.

From New York comes the announce
ment that Chicago girl possesses the
most nearly perfect foot that has ever
been viewed by the National Society of
Chiropodists. The young lady's name
is Clara Houston, and when she nom
chalantly placed her foot on a stool,
where the visiting doctors could ad-
mire II, and compare IL with the feet
of other people, those who make the
handling Of other peoples feet a busi-
| ness declared that her claim of having
the most perfect foot in. the United
States had been substantiated.
The girl with the perfect foot de-
clared that in the next generation the
women will have lost their pretty feet
entirely, because they insist upon
wearing tight shoes and high heels
''Tney squeeze their feet into shoes
hardly large enough to fit a baby's
foot" she declared.
In order to see il this latter remark
regarding women's feet was true, Il
trotted around yesterday morning to
several of the largest shoe stores TO
make inquiry. / couldn't find single
solitary shoe dealer who could recall
ever having had a woman insist upon
crushing a number six foot into a num-
Der three shoe.
oaAAA EC11luAuC CCl I1CLC.
washington women have unusually
small feet" said E. L. Burns, man.
ager OF the shoe department Of the
Paiais Royal, and he cited the fact
that Mrs. Phildander Knox, wife Of the
former Secretary of state, wears tiny
1-AA shoe. I'VE are called upon more
often to fit 2, 3. or shoe than No
s, which is the normal shoe for women
in which iG
usual size for Washington. washington
women wear narrower shoes than won1-
en- of other cities, and daintier ones,
too" he declared. This latter fact,
the Washington streets and sidewalks,
as well as to the fact that Washing
ton women wear dainty summer toll
cites earlieS in the season, and later,
than women of other cities. AS far as
deforming their feet Is concerned"
continued Mr.. Burns. "I can safely say
that in all my years of experience fit
ting shoes to Washington women's feet,
have yet to find one who will submit
TO the torture of wearing tight shoes for
the sake Of appearances. Washington
women know what a good fitting shoe
means, and will insist upon having II
every time. They know how to take
care of their shoes, too. as indicated
by the large sales In shoe trees. and
they also are learning that II Is a
wise plan TO buy two or even three
pairs of shoes at a time, and wear each
pair alternately. This saves the feet.
as well as the shoes, and the woman
who once tries this plan will find that
1t is true economy"
Capital Women Discriminating.
I asked Mr.. Burns II he thought the
hIgh-heeled shoes were responsible for
uDsightly feet, and his answer was that
while some women cannot wear high
heeled shoes, others found them more
comfortable 1T all depends upon the
contour of the foot, and the height of
the instep," he said Some women can
not endure a heel that is more than
one inch high. while others go to the
extreme, buying shoes with three-inch
heels. and those who wear the highest
heeled shoes sometimes experience the
least troubles with their feet.
Il do not think that Washington
women come within Miss Houston's
Mr.. Burns continued. They
seem TO be educated up to what is the
most proper and becom ng in footwear.
and are discriminating buyers"
Something else that Mr.. Burns told
Is of interest to women. This is that
the difference In sizes of shoes is only
one-third inch per size. That Is, a 2Jz
shoe is only one-third of an inch larger
than a No. 2. The secret of the num-
bering of shoes. whereby the woman
who has always supposed that She wore
a No. 3 shoe. but which she discovers
Is No. 69i006 when she buys IL, Mr.. |
Burns did not disclose. Not a shoe
dealer has ever been found who will /
sclve this mystery. |
JULIA MURDOCH