Accent Is on Feet This Summer

Radio Record, 9 December 1938, Page 44

Accent Is on Feet This Summer

But They Must Be Properly Cared For, Says CAROLINE WARD

Summer means flowers. Flowers to decorate the gardens and the windows of the florist’s shop. But this summer they are not being confined to the garden bed and the porcelain vase, for they can be seen blossoming from the top of milady’s head to the tip of her toes. Huts both small and large have caught im their nets and veils what appears to be a whole herbacious border, then a wreath of.flowers is sewn into necks of frocks, or in the corsage, or a good bunch is tucked in the waist; flowers are worn at the wrist in the evening and scattered profusely in the hair; or for daytime wear, just planted around the hem of a frilly-cut skirt.

AVING travelled as far as hems, the floral brigade became bolder and gently persuaded designers to embroider flowers all over silk stockings. However, they did not prove quite so popular here, so concentrated their efforts on shoes. Have you noticed how the dainty type of shoe becomes more and more like a flower every day? Our legs now appear to grow from the midst of some unusually-petalled plant. With the spotlight on shoes, we must not forget the feet they contain and the purpose for which they are manufactured. Not long ago one simply did not expose one’s feet, and very

seldom talked about them, but to-day they are seen a great deal in the summer, and take little peeps at the world through the open-work of many styles of shoes at all seasons_of the year. If Nature had intended our feet to act merely as a medium for transmitting the weight of our bodies to the ground, a single block of bone of the necessary shape and size would have sufficed, but the work of the foot goes further than this. Acts As Spring JN many of its actions the foot has to act as a spring, whereby the body ean thrust itself into the air; and another important task is to act as a shock absorber, to spare the rest of the body, and especially the. central nervous system, many folts and jars,

Therefore, the foot requires much elasticity.. In the natural way, our feet have been provided, by means of many carefully-placed bones and strong ligaments, with sufficient elasticity, but through rough usage rats lost most or a great deal of t. Our feet are very faithful servants, carrying us about and getting even extra work during sports and dancing, yet receiving very little attention in return, But in the end they invariably protest in the form of corns, bunions, and flat arches. Why not pay a little attention to what goes on inside your shoes so that neglected feet will not shriek warnings to remind you of their presence?

First of all, analyse the way you place your feet when walking. They should be planted perfectly straight at each step. Try walking along a straight line or the floorboards with a mirror in front if possible, and at each step place the heel just to touch the line in the boards, then lower the ball to touch and also the big toe. Take this walking backwards also, making the toes touch the ground first and then lower the heels in a straight line. It is surprising how few people can get both feet right! After you get the "feel" of properly-placed feet, put it into practice. Those who move with their feet turned out lose about a hundred feet every mile they walk! The effect of walking + ith the feet turned in or out is to cause wrong adjustment of weight on the feet, pulling the ligaments and tendons out of place and finally. the bones, also. The outward signs of this can be seen in enlarged inkles, dropped arches, crooked toes, etc.,

a er * | all of which are unsightly, and often painful. Common Complaint FLAT-FOOTEDNESS is perhaps the most common complaint in adults and children, and can be attributed to the following causes :-- (a) Heredity. | (b) Improper nourishment. (c) Museles insufficiently developed due to wearing a bad type of shoe, Flat-footedness can be improved and cured by correct exercising, but if left, can often be the root-cause

of internal complaints. Besides my feet I have become extremely respectful of my shoes since I was shown round .the factory of a leading shoe manufacturer. "There ig a greater variety of shoes made here than under ona roof anywhere else in the world," the manager informed me, and I saw a very large number of different styles being made. My advice on the advantages of "good" shoes over cheap ones has so often been asked that I decided to discover from first-hand know- © ledge whether there is much difference in the actual building. The conclusion | reached was that, although frequently the same leather Is used to make both an expensive shoe and a cheap shoe, care and workmanship are put into a good shoe which will ensure Its balance and longer wearing. Here are some tips about choosing a pair of shoes:

Take the shoe by the toe and heel, "break" them towards one another. Tho shoe should have enough flexibility to bend almost in The Heel AKE sure the heel of the shoe comes directly under your own heel, and not under the instep. See that the heel fits the shoe at the join and that it is fixed on. straight. In cheap shoes they are often placed crookedly through hurry. Even in a brogue or flat-heeled shoe, the arch should be curved to fit yours. On the sole of the shoe draw a line from the middle of the toe down ~*: sole; draw 2 line from the middle of the heel. The angle made by the meeting of these two lines should be about 150 degrees on the inner side of the shoe. Through careless workmanship, ghoes are often not quite pairs, so remember to compare them. If. your feet are not exactly @ alike, remember it only costs an extra 5/- to have a pair of shoes

made to measure. Of course, a New Zealand style has to be chosen. I was privileged to see some advance styles, and you can take it from me that it is well worth while treating your feet to a few minutes’ beauty care to make them worthy of these lovely creations. Exercises MANICURE your toe-nails as if they were finger-nails to make them look right; then practise the following exercises to make them feel right. You ean try them to the rhythm of @ quickstep at any odd moment when your feet are free of shoes. 1, Stand. Place one foot before the other. Curl toes right in (see illustration 1). Then curl them right up with the ball on the floor, Repeat eight times on each foot. 2. Instep strengthening. Place feet together. Curl all the toes inwards so that the weight of the body is on the outside of the feet. The heels are touching (see illustration 2). Drop to normal position. Repeat eight times, increasing number with practice. —

8. Sitting, legs straight in front. Cross one leg over the other (leg straight). Circle the ankle slowly in each direction. Repeat eight times on each foot. 4, Having loosened the ankle, now strengthen them. Standing

again, lift on to balls of both feet drop on to the heel of the left foot and bring the right up on the tip (see illustration 3). Repeat by bringing the left on to the tip. This can also be taken witr. an extra heel-lift, taking it: Over,

bounce, right; over, bounce left, then swing right, left, right, left. Take this four to eight times, keeping the hips steady. Finish with "planing the boards" given above.

SOME SIMPLE EXERCISES FOR YOUR FEET