-
How many of you ladies ever owned a pair of flats? Those plain,
flat-heeled shoes made popular by the teenagers of the rock and
roll generation. Polished for church, beaten and batter for
school, either way they were considered cute and comfortable by
female fashion icons. You could not master the bop, enjoy the
stroll, or accomplish the shag wearing any other kind of
footwear.
-
Some of these gems however, came with regulations; we were not
allowed to wear our white flats after Labor Day or before Easter
Sunday, these jewels are strictly for spring and summer fashion,
but the black models were allowed any time of the year. I am not
sure what old wife made up that silly fashion rule but many
still adhere to it today.
-
When I attended elementary school in my hometown of Richland, I
thought that the more mature girls, those enrolled on the senior
side of the school building, and wore flats, were destined to be
featured in the next edition of Seventeen Magazine; they were
the individuals who set the fashion in our world. We youngsters
were wearing dark models or black and white oxfords; they had
heavy buckles or adorned with shoestrings, and I was convinced
they were hideous.
-
I thought I would never get old enough to wear flats and those
trendy straight skirts; our full skirts and clunky shoes made us
look frumpy. How could a girl ever become popular while wearing
such repulsive clothing? When we graduated to junior high
school, that is what it was called in those days, momma decided
that I was old enough to begin choosing some of my garments and
flats was at the top of my wish list. For some unexplained
reason I promised to adequately care for my special footwear,
but secretly I fully intended to be one of those females who
dragged their shoe heels and created those disgusting noises on
those old wooden floors at school.
-
My momma believed that promises made were to be kept, no matter
the circumstances, and not only that, she had the memory of an
elephant. She agreed that I could buy a pair of white flats,
but the purchase came with some stipulations; although I was
allowed to wear the white flats to school, I was not going to
let them get to the worn and tattered stage.
-
Momma insisted that I keep my shoes polished at all times, and
daddy gave me polishing lessons. Each weekend I applied several
layers of polish, let it dry, and then used a soft cloth to
enhance the color. Although the styles have changed over the
years, I still adore this fashion item of my youth.
