Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-03-30
H|Cf SHOE PRICES
Radical Styles in WOmen's Shoes
and Extravagant Prices Paid.
war Effects on Manufacturing with
Increased Cost Of Leather and
other RAW Materials Felt
by Public.

! From the n. Y. Journal OF Commerce. |
Prices on shoes to the public as a re-
suit of restricted conditions in supplies
of leather and other materials due to the
war have already been advanced as much ,
as 81 to sl50 n pair in special instances
ny retailers and the end is not in sight, |
according to the retailers, wholesalers
and manufacturers. The advances so
far made are not general as to the uni /
formitv of increase on all grades. fol all
manufacturers have not yet been fully
concerned in the higher cost of feathers,
etc. For well known line, however,
Of mems medium fine shoes, selling above
s. Il pair retail. 1t is learned that the adj
vance in the past year or so amounts
rs given above, to 81 to $3.50 pair The
manager of one of the stores on Broad |,
way selling this line stated that their /
new spring shoes would have had adj
vanced prices about so cents pair for
the past two seasons. This line of mems
| shoes which used to start at Sc a pair,
it is said now begins at 81 n pair.
For the mass of mems shoes sold at re-
tail it is impossible to learn just what
since the general tendency is to readiust
values to preserve much possible
the old prices to which the public has
become used. But it is certain that there
has been already grading upward. by
which manufacturers have eliminated
the lower priced numbers. One manu-
facturer, for example, who used to make
grades from Sc pair up has dropped
out tho 81 grade and is featuring the
grade to retail at S..
, That the future contains uncertainties
5 even moro pronounced to their effect
t on prices than events that have already
taken place is shown in the fact that
$ some manufacturers of womens shoes
are advertising their latest styles to
their retail customers without quoting
prices. these 20 be determined by cond-
lions when orders taken are to be filled.
Along the same line there are instances
of tanners of leather who will not quote
prices for the future because they do
=. not know what the prices of hides and
skins will, or whether, in fact, they will be
able to get certain raw materials of this
kind. They are doing business on the
leather they own and of the cost OF
which they are certain.
When it comes to women's shoes there
, is practically no basis of comparison,
retailers state. by which price advances
can be determined. There have been
no standards from year to year since So
4 called military shoes" of high fashion
distinction came into existence. New York
retailers, and retailers. no doubt of other
I large cities find that value or economic
q considerations have no part In the pur-
G chase of a good part Of the footwear sold
= to women. The final choice is not one
: of price. but of style or personal appeal
: In consequence, the quantities of wom-
T. ems shoes being sold in the large cities
II at prices from the 5000 pair mark and
considerably above is very large. Whereas
the mems custom made shoes, selling in
limited quantity at such prices, are pur-
chased with the first consideration of
fit. and also for the high value in material
and simple elegance. the women's shoes,
retailers freely admit, are selected at
,e such prices purely from fashion stand
t. point, and are limited in number of pairs
e almost. it might be said, to a number of
1t gowns they are to match.
II There can, therefore, be no deduc ton
ii arrived at as to the higher costs at re-
< tail of many womcns Shoes since the
o. styles Of this season had no counterpart
ID year ago. just now the tendency above
~ all times when fine kid feathers are
err scarce, is to make women's shoe tops
n higher thereby taking more leather The
As new spring styles in womens footwear
re show an inclination on the part of the
n shoe tops TO become better acquainted
V. with the rapidly shortening skirts.
at In view of the fact that fine coloret
or KID leather used in the tops of the pres
1e ent shoes worn by women has advanced
10 N price by 80 per cent since July anG
be that more leather is needed in addition
III per pair it is inevitable that women's
,e shoes are selling at very high prices com
~ pared with year ago. About this time
last year the style feature of women.
shoes was colored tops of cloth. a some
what more practicable and economical
- factor than coored kid leather, but tina
- style soon passed.
~ It goes without saying that a considera
tie part of womens shoes sold, as If
:, mems, consists of staple plain foot YEA
49, in black calf, kid or patent leather
'' These shoes naturally are advancing Il
-, proportion as the standard mems shoe
- are, That they have to be higher II
price is in part due, no doubt, to Thu
extreme fashion vogue along lines which
consume unnatural quantities of leathe
and of the best qualities.
~ AS to the causes incident to the wa
in Europe which have brought about thu
situation in shoes not encountered II
y. many years by manufacturers there ar
no three or four outstanding ones, Firs
ch Of all, some of the countries at wal
- such as France. Russia, Germany, etc
&c supplied this country in peace times wit
IT, raw materials, such as hides and skin
ed or tanned leather. These imports fror
as such countries are now entirely shu
off or In large part. The demand like
IT. wise OF the war for footwear to be use
at IN a military way has been large I'm
MS mense quantities of good leather goin
,ir into high soldier boots, many OF whic
&C. were made in American shoe factories.
re There have been various other restrit
". tons placed by the nations at war o