Brighter Shoes

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18255, 25 November 1933, Page 10

Brighter Shoes

THERE wove some rather strange * exhibits at the International Shoe and Leather Fair, held not long ago in London. Among them was a pan of men’s bedroom slippers, on the toe of each of which was a tiny electric bulb which could be switched on by a sideways pressure of the heel. There were many other pretty things for men, but lirst one must deal with”the women, who, when they have accepted the indubitable fact that their feet are slowly but surely getting bigger (hiking and kindred ebulliences are held to blame), will have a great deal of fun with their shoes in the future “While crocodiles, lizards ana snakes arc heaving reptilian sighs of relief in many parts of the world (for the ‘zoo shoe’ of various skins is on the wane”), says the London Daily Telegraph, ‘‘color in prodigal variety has invaded footwear, especially in the form of ‘two-color’ shoes, either violently contrasting or in two shades of one color.”

Among the “two-color” shoes were: Evening shoes (black, with white heels); cocktail shoes (with so much open-work they resembled sieves)'; bedroom slippers; walking shoes (in two shades ol brown*; cruising shoes. A wide range of tints, vivid and sombre, was employed often with tolling effect. In addition, shoes were: Lighter than for 1() years; more open-worked; lower heeled; straighto*' heeled.

Some of tlio shoos for men were devastating. The sandals, for instance, and the “Monks shoes,” which dome right up over the ankle, “keeping it warm on cold days and thus eliminating the necessity for spats.” There were pairs with lots of openwork that resembled lace, and some in turned calf with insertions of washable pale calf.