Evening star., 1921-01-23

lNSTEP, FASTENED WITH SMALL
RHINESTONE BUCKLES.
OF America between the oceans are
hlled with women wearing fantastic
shoes. 1t is the conspicuous fashion
of the hour. It was borrowed from
France year late. BY the time It is
at its zenith Paris will have turned
to the pointed vamp and the fiat heel.
So we go. whirling around each other
like planets Of the solar system.
1t might be said that the conserva-
tive women, backed by the conserva-
tive bootmakers. are still holding out
for what is known as the American
last. There are members Of each set
who refuse to wear or to make the
French shoe. How the struggle will
end. the summer may tell. but It is
reasonable to guess that the French
shoe will win out in modified form.
X +
The American foot is not broad
enough to carry the exaggerated
French shoe. The sculptors say the
French foot is classic and the Ameri-
can foot is as much an artificiality as
the pinched waist. They consider our
feet the products Of over-civilization.
and our small ankles ugly and sculp-
turauy incorrect Well, whatever
they are. they won't At the broad
French shoe in the shape the French
will rattle on our feet and slip OF
when we walk. So there you are.
The only way out is to accept the
rounded toe, the short vamp that fits
our feet and let it go at that.
Common sense will not avail. The
fashion died down for while during
the war. but it has sprung from the
ashes with renewed vigor. One never
gets a satisfactory answer from the
Frsnch Ere, h, as sh to Why t they approve Of the
they laugh at the artificiality Of what
they call our "broken ankles"
1t is pity that women cannot make
Ia drastic change from winter to
spring footwear: They have gone
shoes. cobweb stockings. no CATERS,
and they intend to wear the same
thing for the spring. They will go in
a bit more, however, for co1ored shoes
made up in combinations Of black
and gray. black and white. beige and
black
The entirely black shoe with the
colored stocking Is French fashion
slowly creeping in. The Americans.
however. appear to prefer stockings
the favorite. In Paris beige stock
ings are worn for the street and dull
gold for the evening. These two COL
ors are universal. On the street the
slipper is black. In the evening the
slipper is Of gold colored satin or
brocade.
Over here the new fashion Of the
late winter will spread into the
spring; it is blue and silver brocade
oriental slipper with blue silk stock
aeep nes to and sena he Pt. Of .Ds.1s SDe is
are out Of fashion. Slippers to match
the frock are out Of fashion.
There are economists who have
adopted the French fashion Of keep
ing gold colored satin stockings and
gardless Of its color or texture. wom-
! en- who have depended on black satin
stockings and slippers for the even
ing feel that this custom is threat
ened. for one SO rarely sees black
| thing is preferred to them.
Black and silver brocade slippers.
built with straps across the instep.
are worn with silver stockings as a
substitute for all black. There are
also red and gold brocade slippers.
worn with gold-colored stockings,
used by women who wish to give
color to q somber costume. You can
see by these tokens that somberness
is gone.
| Y
Having accepted a vast variety of
brilliant shoes for the evening, it is
not to be expected that women will
| wear demure ones on the street. Re-
fusing the French street fashion for
! beige and gold stockings with black
patent leather shoes. the Americans
have adopted black satin oxford ties
with huge bows Of ribbon on the in
step and patterned black silk stock
ings which give the effect Of cobweb
gray by reason of the skin showing
| through.
| There seems no chance for a revival
| of immense ornamental buckles for
the street: one should be grateful for
such small evidence Of improvement.
The woman who wore patent leather
pumps with high. thin heels and
buckles three inches long and wide.
made Of rhinestones and cut steel, at
IL o'clock in the morning. was indulge
ing in the height Of fantasy. II she