Shoes of the Gibson Girls, Part 1

For everyday wear, the Oxford style shoe was a popular choice. The shape of the moment was for a long, narrow, pointed toe, and a "French" heel (what we usually now call a Louis heel) of about 2 inches: rarely ever was it higher, or lower. Even walking shoes for ladies tended to have elevated heels.

Fletcher complained against the fashion of the pointed toe, thinking it to be too uncomfortable:

"Though ages past have shown us many curiosities of footwear, nothing more abnormal or more inimical to the beauty of the foot, and consequently the grace of a woman's walk, has ever had any vogue than the absurdly deforming and crucially uncomfortable pointed-toed shoe of the present decade. It should be said in their defense that women are not alone to blame for the folly. If the shoemakers did not make them they could not be worn; and if there was anything else to be had in the shops, there is an army of women who would never wear them. They are women who cannot afford their private bootmaker, and often have to buy where they can cheapest; and even the wise woman who knows that the best in quality is the truest economy is equally restricted in style.

It is idle to urge in defense of the pointed toe that the remedy is to buy longer shoes, and that you thereby gain for the foot a slender appearance and give the toes the necessary ease. When a shoe of this shape is long enough to secure this freedom, it is too large for the heel and the ball of the foot,—even with an unusually high instep; and will rub blisters in the most surprisingly unexpected places. An ill-fitting shoe may be too large as well as too small; both extremes are a menace to the health and comfort of the foot."

I was able to buy a set of shoes in a thrift store of a similar appearance to the ones portrayed above, and have to say I don't find the long toes to be more uncomfortable uncomfortable or problematic than any other dress shoe; in fact less a problem than many a fine pair I've owned. In any event, the fashion of the Edwardians was for more of a long, narrow foot than for a small foot overall, and the elongated toes of the shoes helped one to gain this impression.