The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1917-08-11

wear for the last year or two.
Even in England the government has
taken a hand in the dress proposition.
They have begun at the foot and de-
creed that shoes shall not exceed sew
en- inches in heighth because the cost
of leather Is so much higher. Consid-
ering the looks of most Englishwo-
meas feet even before the war that
doesn't somehow seem TO upset me
much.
American tootsies are another mat
ter indeed and here's where the shoe
pinches. There's a special board in
Washington that Is going to regulate
what goes on our feet and our backs
and our heads this coming season that
is quite as important as the board 30
regulate what goes into our tummies.
The most noticeable type OF shoe
around the board itself these DAYS IS
the gum shoe for their is much shush-
ing and mystery stun TO cover up their
deep dark plans which are on foot
They explain this secrecy BY pointing
out that If they made known these re-
forms and regulations precipitately
there would be a great waste entailed
because of the models that the manu-
facturers have already made up far in
advance for the company season and
of those models with which the retail
ers are already stocked UP. The idea
is to keep all plans dark until the
shoes now on hand are all on foot ana
then break loose with the sweeping re-
form. In the interim the board and
shoe manufacturers and retailers are
busily whispering together and agree
ing on a few simple serviceable model
shoes that viii take the place of AL
the past mad riot OF extravagant foot
gear that has pinched our pocketboo,ls
as well as our feet.
This doesn't mean. Of course. that
there viii be one plain heavy style OF
shoe that every one Will be forced to
, don for all and every occasion The
board promises an adequate assortment
of attractive and dainty shoes for all
walks and dances of life
This same scheme applys to ali the
rest OF our clothing and a sweeping
and sensible reform will take place
from our toes to our heads that Will
do away with the seuseIess waste of
materials and labor just TO make ono
frippery out-frfp another
Dainty maids and proud matrons
need not shudder ever the possibility OF
I
or khaki uniforms however In fact
it is just well to keep off the khaki
toys as we need all the khaki for our
honest to goodness real male soIdie rs
The women who at the very first smell
of war. rushed around and got them
selves fitted to regulation khaki uni
I forms with pants and puttees and ev-
4 erything so they could pant around in
pants drilling and getting their pic
] lures in the Sunday supplements ought
! to be suppressed. Mostly they arc
{ matronly midde-aged women who
/ should know better. and in simple ami
unobstrusive shirtwaists and skirts
! could do real national good with their
surplus energy by rolling bandges
/ knitting socks and sweaters sewing
/ pajamas, making gardens and canning
/ while they can
The dress reform, the busy conscrva-
/ ton board has in view. by no means
will dictate uniform of any sort
! They are simply getting together with
/ the designers and fabric manufacturers
! and dressmakers and retailers to evolve
/ enough practical inexpensive and yet
I artistic models to supply a sane and
| conservative demand.
/ Now for goodness sake if you are
{ Eop0 RdbAltt doH 80 ana lay IN
/ supply of lacy lingerie. silken robes
and fussy footgcsr against the i'm
I pending frivolous friH famine If you
/ do you will be in class with those
] poor sports who flew around buying
l up all the loose canned goods and SUI
/ gar at the first hint of food conserVa-
! ton and sent the prices kiting for the
! rest OF US. Just sit tight and dress
| right