Are Women’s Feet Getting Bigger?

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXV, Issue X, 8 September 1900, Page 466

Are Women’s Feet Getting Bigger?

“The average lady's foot is one or two sizes larger than it was fifteen years ago,” is the verdict of several London shoemakers. They all agree that athletics and outdoor games are answerable for a universal spreading of feminine shoes. The bicycle pedal tenets to widen the feet, tennis has the effect of fiat tening the instep, while over-walking is declared to add one extra number to the shoes in the space of a couple of years. (Jolting is said not to affect the size of the foot if indulged in “very mod-

erately.” But if a woman goes in for golf championships, her feet will spread with her fame. Experts in shoes declare that continuous exercise rapidly enlarges ihe feet. If a woman habitually breaks bicycle records, does big golf rounds, or goes in for excessive walks, ner feet will rapidly grow bigger. If she indulges her athletic tastes, only two or three times a week, the growth of her feet will -e more gradual.

Professional dancing increases the size of the foot more than any other exercise, nut the ordinary dancing of social life does not add one cubic atom to the "understandings.” In fact, shoemakers state that unprofessional dancing manes tae foot more supple and springy, and a smaller size of shoe is taken by the same woman after a dancing season than before it began.

“Ladies used to wear eork socks in winter shoes to keep their feet

warm,” says an authority 1 on boots. "But nowadays few allow any padding in the soles. 'They wear transparent silk stockings in the coldest weather, because silk foot-wear enables them to take shoes half a size smaller.”

In some West End shops they never mark a lady’s shoe win. a higher number than "fours.” Anything above this size is stamped with hieroglyphics like those on Cleopatra's Needle. The shop assistants know what the curious letters stand for. But the lady’s friends and servants find no written testimony on the sole of her shoe of the number she wears. At one aristocratic shoe-shop all ladies with specially large feet are told their size is “an easy four.” Sometimes it is a seven. But all big boots are called by tne comforting title of small or easy fours.

This little custom is said to make many women happy, and prevents them from buying tight boots.