How To Select Footwear To Flatter Your Feet & Legs (Vintage Tips)

From On Your Feet, an article in the November 1953 issue of Silhouette, some tips on using heel height and shoe decorations to flatter your feet and legs:

When you buy footwear, be sure the heel heights and decoration are in proportion to your foot and leg. Vertical lines, like T-straps, are slenderizing. So if your feet are broad, it is best to leave ankle straps to those with slim ankles.

V-shaped vamps and toes were designed especially with broad feet in mind. And it follows, of course, that the long foot will be flattered by short vamps.

Color is the real master of illusion in shoes as in everything else. White and pastels are for those with pretty, well-shaped feet. If you want your feet to appear smaller, always select dark shoes. Color contrasts, however, are often manipulated so cleverly that they give a foreshortened effect.