Lapas attēli
PDF
ePub

Great attention was directed in the middle ages to this portion of the dress as well as to the covering for the head, and equal extravagances were adopted in both articles. The shoes were worn of different colors; the stockings also were unlike each other, and of different colors from either of the shoes. During the reign of William Rufus, a famous Dean, Robert, surnamed the "Horned," introduced shoes with long-pointed toes twisted like a ram's horn. The fashion was immediately adopted in France and carried over to England. Though vigorously inveighed against, the style became fashionable, and in the reign of Richard II the points kept growing larger until they reached the length of two feet, and were secured to the knee by chains of silver and gold, the point of the shoe extending away beyond the toe. The upper parts were cut to imitate the windows of a church, and the whole was made extravagantly conspicuous. For three centuries the clergy, popes and public officers sought in vain by declamations, bulls and orders to break up the custom, but fashion held sway, as it has in every age in the history of the world, until, by act of Parliament in 1463, shoemakers were prohibited from making for the "unprivileged classes" any shoes with points more than two inches long, and afterward excommunication was denounced against any person wearing such. The extravagant taste was then directed to the width of the toe, until at last Queen Mary was compelled to restrict this by proclamation to six inches. As we view the gradual widening of the shoes being made now, let us fervently hope that the breadth may not grow to equal the width of those mentioned, or that we shall be obliged by decree of fashion to wear such monstrosities as the ones described.

In the sixteenth century shoes were made of elegant buff-colored Spanish leather, with tops of enormous dimensions, spreading over so widely as to almost obstruct the movement of the feet. The Puritans wore such boot tops and after the restoration of Charles II, the French custom was introduced of ornamenting the upper edge with lace. Pictures and stories of Spanish buccaneers illustrate the pirate-kings rigged out in this sort of footwear. The present simple form of shoe was adopted in the early part of the seventeenth century, and in the latter part of the same the shoe buckle began to be used. During the succeeding century, this continued to be very conspicuous and so many were dependent upon its manufacture in England, that when it began to be unfashionable, in the commencement of the present century, the Prince of Wales sought to keep up the custom for the sake of the buckle makers. In the present popularity of colonial ties, with steeple heels and Dutch buckles, we see a revival of a style of a hundred years or

very elaborate and costly, made of bright colored silk, ornamented with gold or silver stars and bound with different colored silk from the shoe itself. It is a singular and interesting coincidence that with the ever changing styles, the new fashions are often old fashions revived. Several years ago our dames and damsels were tripping about on high-heeled red slippers. Probably few of them ever dreamed that the fashion was first set by the Spartans and followed by the magistrates of Rome on ceremonial occasions. the pointed toes, which a few years ago tortured us and distorted our feet, and which have more recently been succeeded by the rational, sensible and comfortable broad-toed footwear were invented by a Prince of Angou.

We see, therefore, that boots and shoes of all kinds have been worn; shoes made of leather, wood and reeds; brass-bound, ironbound, gold embroidered and studded with jewels; wide, blunt toes, narrow, pointed toes. The Elizabeth shoe was a really artistic affair, and when powdered with gems and worn on the foot of a Sidney or a Raleigh, was a beautiful thing. When Leicester received the Queen at Kenilworth (Scott) "he wore shoes of white velvet." The Queen, herself, was a connoisseur in shoes.

The shoe had developed into the boot about the middle of the fifteenth century, and into stout boots, with tops and spurs. Then boots were so heavy that their removal fell to the lot of an attendant. After the revolution of 1688 the immense roses on shoes were replaced by buckles and large wide strings. Since that period the buckle has undergone every variety of form and dimension, and, in 1777, buckles and buttons on the coats became enormous.

High-heeled boots were worn by ladies for three parts of the eighteenth century. They raised their fair wearers some inches and rendered walking difficult and running out of the question. Very curious and to us interesting, is the footwear of the past. A few days ago the writer examined a couple of pairs made as recently as thirty or forty years ago. One specimen was a boot of green velvet plush, extra high, cut scalloped top, and faced with light blue kid. The boot laced at the side and was lined with brown drilling. The side opening, the scalloped top and the green plush tongue were bound with black galloon. It was Bismark, cut, with plain round toe and was made on straight last. The vamp was straight grain boned, scalloped all around and stitched with white. The heel was extremely high and narrow, with small top piece; the shank was decidedly sprung.

.

Clothing for the feet, therefore, whether in the form of sandals or shoes, has been in use in every country aspiring to civilization in ancient and modern times, and by a study of the subject we will

the inexorable demands of the public and has been in every age and throughout every land since shoes began to be worn, and this is true in regard to footwear as well as every other article of apparrel.

manner.

Shoes of All Nations.

A careful review of the character of national footwear now in vogue in various countries of the globe forms a very pleasant and profitable study, and in a trip around the world it is interesting to observe the kinds of foot-covering worn by different peoples. Of the great variety of footwear worn by different nationalities, none are so uncomfortable, unnatural and nonsensical as those worn by Chinese ladies of rank. These ladies consider the diminutive size of their feet an unquestionable evidence of high rank, so the Chinese mothers distort and shorten the feet of their infant girls, by bending the tender little toes under the foot and binding them there. The toes form part of the sole of the foot; the heel is forced up into the ankle, which is usually large. All during their childhood the growth of their pedal extremities is checked by bandages, causing excruciating pain and distorting the feet in a disgusting Some of the diminutive foot-coverings are but four and a half to five inches in length on the outside. They are made of gray or blue brocaded satin, richly embroidered with designs in red, green and gold thread or colored silks. The soles are covered with pale blue cloth and have a thin piece of leather tacked to the bottom. Others are of green and white satin, embroidered in Persian colors, and exceptionally dainty ones are of bright red satin, with very pointed toes, beautifully worked in pale blue and gold. So it seems there are styles in Chinese shoes as well as those of other nations, but it does not seem possible when contemplating the romping, rollicking American "youngster," that full grown adults on the opposite side of the globe can go mincing about on feet the size of which we would bemoan as a deformity on a child two years of age. Children of the "Celestial Kingdom" have their plain and fancy footwear, too, and doubtless admire "pretty new shoes" quite as much as the children with whom we are more familiar. One for a baby boy, is of red cloth, edged with green satin and fancy gimp. The toe, which is rounded and upturned, has appliqued on it the head of a beast with staring eyes, green silk ears and long whiskers of white silk dangling from a ferocious looking mouth, the combination being fearfully hideous and frightful enough to scare an American baby into fits. A shoe for girls of the lower classes is made of sterner stuff. The sole and high heel

of one piece of very stiff leather, is open at the heel and tacked to the thick sole with round-headed tacks. It is a gay little affair, however, for the heel and sole are painted black and the upper bright red. It may not be generally known that all Chinese women do not have deformed feet. This mutilation is more frequently in the south than in the north and in cities than in the rural districts. Normal sized feet are found in many provinces of the empire. Sentiment is growing in favor of permitting women's feet to grow to a larger and more nearly normal size than has hitherto been the practice. A change is coming, slowly, of course, as all changes come in China. It is said Chinese feet at birth are normal and that binding has no hereditary effect in generation.

The impression in this country is that Chinese footwear consists solely of the silk or cloth, felt or paper-soled sandals in the style worn by our "John Chinaman," but such is not the case. Boots of leather or shoes of combined cloth and leather are largely used in some sections of the empire.

The thick-soled, white-edged shoes seen upon the feet of the Chinamen here are all imported from China-most of them from Canton-where they are made by hand. The white edge of the thick, rigid sole is made of a material resembling plaster, and if it becomes soiled, can be cleaned and whitened again. Some shoes have the wide edge of this sole finished with a glazed or polished surface, which can be cleaned by rubbing it with a damp cloth. The bottom soles of these shoes are made of a number of layers of rather thin leather, placed one upon the other, making a built-up sole. This sole is stitched through and through in many places on regular lines, giving the bottom of the shoe a sort of quilted effect. These keep the feet dry and warm, raising them out of the wet and mud. The soles throughout are made quite flat, without distinction of right and left,and are always considerably shorter than the upper, the toe part projecting beyond the sole, in order to give a spring in walking. The work on Chinese shoes is neatly and trimly done, even on the cheap grades. There are some shoes without the characteristic thick, white-edged soles and provided with soles of leather only. The top of the Chinese shoe is of cloth or silk or satin, and the lining is of the same material. Velvet is often used on the tops, cut in patterns that are laid over the body of the shoe, which may be of silk or satin, in some bright color, while the velvet may be of black, producing picturesque and striking effects. Costly shoes are made of fine material, and are often richly embroidered, each section of the vast country having its particular fashion and mode of decoration.

During the rainy season, in the spring and in the north during the

and the Chinese shops carry regular lines of them. The common shoes and slippers often have leather soles. The "Coolies" generally wear straw sandals, but very frequently adopt leather ones in preferIn Mongolia, for winter wear, the leather boots are lined with sheepskin, and felt shoes made in western fashion are in general

ence.

use.

The Chinaman is very particular about his shoes; torn shoes are rarely seen. Cobblers are to be found in the streets with baskets or boxes containing bits of cotton, cloth, leather, nails, etc., for mending shoes. Cheap burial shoes with felt soles are made for the dead. Velvet slippers and velvet boots are fashionable and shoes for housewear are usually made by the women of the house. Children's shoes are highly ornamented as already stated, often with figures of tigers' and dragons' heads and the like. Women's shoes are highly ornamented and richly embroidered by themselves. Instead of stockings, the women wear bandages of white cloth. A piece of embroidered material is usually placed around the ankle to cover the portion of the leg between the trousers and the shoes, where all are tied togther. This practice has been in vogue since the sixth century. The women's shoes have mostly a thin sole of wood, with a thicker heel piece covered with cloth. In the north of the empire, the women wear high heels under their flat soles for outdoor use in order to keep their elaborately embroidered shoes free from dirt. At home they use shoes like those of the men, with felt soles. For house wear, during the warm weather, the material is grass or split bamboo, and the sole is made of dried. palm leaves, sewed together with strong twine. There is no heel piece and the sole is flat. An inner sole or lining of cotton cloth, Canton flannel or raw silk is sometimes inserted. They are strong and durable, and retain both shape and color.

All of the work upon Chinese footgear of whatever kind is done. by hand. I remember seeing a couple of years ago three pairs of boots made in Philadelphia for the late Li Hung Chang and two of the dignitaries of his personal suite who accompanied the late Viceroy on his famous travels in this country. The samples sent by him from which these boots were made were worn by the three men at the time referred to. The uppers and tops, which formed a striking pattern of the regular riding boots worn by equestrians in this country, were made of woven satin material instead of leather. The linings were of silk and trimmings of velvet. The bottoms were of felt, three-fourths of an inch in thickness, with a rawhide outsole, quilted in the peculiar manner of the Chinese shoemaker. The new boots were of black glazed kid, lined with silk and had felt soles, the outside covering of which was chrome

« iepriekšējāTurpināt »