Summer footwear brings memories of bygone shoe styles

PRIME – June 2013 By Jane D. O'Donoghue Special to PRIME June is here and we now have the freedom of lighter outer clothing and, less confining, open footwear. We can also opt to go with bare legs and a variety of shoe styles. Two Mother's Day gifts I received this year were a new pair of sandals and a professional pedicure. Now I'm good to go for the summer. Since childhood, shoe shopping has always been an exciting event for me. Many local people might remember clerks checking for correct shoe size at Steiger's in downtown Springfield. They had a machine where you viewed an x-ray of your feet. Amazing. Some might also recall how a clerk knelt down, and using a measuring gauge, determined the correct length and width for shoe size. I have a narrow foot that is difficult to fit, and sizes are not always available. Seems the attitude now is, wear what we offer, and adjust. I miss the good old days. Recently, my daughter was searching for a shoemaker to make some minor shoe repairs. They have almost vanished. Time was when we needed them to attach new heels, re-sew stitching, and replace worn soles. I can just hear those whirring brushes putting a finished shine on the newly repaired ones. The clunk, clunk of the stitching machine greeted you as you entered the shop. The aroma of leather, glue and polish permeates the mind with that vision. A chair was always available for the customer to sit down and remove a faulty shoe, or don a repaired one. The new sole might be tighter and it would take some flexing of the stiff leather to make it comfortable again. Yet, it saved the expense of new ones. Most department stores and Five and Tens also offered space for the cobblers, even if it was basement level. I recall the Eastern Shoe Repair on Bridge Street with several little booths with doors where the customer sat while their shoes were being tended to. Tiny lifts on high heels where replaced in fifteen minutes while you waited. Through the years styles changed and fads came and went. In my junior high school time, Huaraches were hot. We were not allowed to wear them. My mother thought they weren't good for the feet. Then there were penny loafers. Mother's answer was "No," again. I was destined to wear tie shoes, or proper sandals in the summer. When I was really young, bare foot was the summer mode in the neighborhood and I loved it. Tennis shoes were what we called sneakers and they were for the tennis courts and gym class and they came in white. Saddle oxfords were fashionable, and a chore to keep looking good. Remember all that polishing we did? There were liquids, creams and pastes. A cloth or brush energetically applied could make them look like new. That was a ritual for Saturday night. Some might recall elevated chairs where men sat for a quick shoeshine. These were usually found in lobbies, or train and bus stations. There was even a phase when teen girls were wearing combat boots. They resembled Li'l Abner from the comics pages. Oh, the horror of it. Today they have gone to the other extreme and wear flip-flops almost anywhere, at any time. Personally, I am not comfortable with the strap between my toes and the downright flatness of the soles of flip-flops. These sandals range in price from the drug store beach-type to high-fashion styles with jewels, stitching, bangles and beads. A must for this fashion is properly trimmed, polished, neat and clean toenails. Clogs and backless shoes also feature summer freedom. One innovative advance is the use of Velcro on shoes, especially for younger children and older folks. The obvious ease for adjustment is great, and the unnecessary demand for shoelaces that break, knot and frustrate. In addition buying replacement laces of the proper length and color is truly a task. The manner of enclosing the foot with ease and style, by today's standards, can boggle the mind. There are shoes for running, walking, aerobics, and jogging or any activity you might engage in. In a recent ad, a featured man's running shoe was blue, with white stripes on the top, and pink, white and lime stripes on the side. Lime laces were attached and the detail showed a pink lining. When I'm in need of new walking shoes, I'd like a pair of unadorned black or white laced or Velcro ones for support and comfort. Good luck finding those. Perhaps I'm writing this because I'm envious of the beautiful shoes I see in stores or ads on TV. I love high heels in various leathers, fabrics, colors, and styles. I like open toes, colorful, sparkly, strappy ones, and red shoes are truly special. I recall spending much of my salary on shoes in my younger working days. I often walked to work and spent the day in high heels and it never bothered me. Today, I can't balance on them. Believe me, I've tried. Therefore, I'll enjoy my new Velcro sensible, strappy, sand-colored sandals and beautifully painted toenails. Then I'll be content to admire others walk by in the latest creations. Jane D. O'Donoghue is a Hungry Hill native and retired school librarian. Her writing has appeared in local and regional publications.