Peppers were not the only things that were hot; meanwhile, next door at The Brooklyn Museum it’s time for the most incredible shoe exhibit ever. Last year I reported on the Gaultier exhibit. Now for shoes: the history of high heels. Not only did they elevate the rich and aristocracy, they were a necessity to keep their shoes and feet clean and dry. Initially they worn by male royals, then the ladies adopted them from Europe to Asia.

The exhibit covered the most incredible specimens: if you ever dreamed of a pair of Manolo Blahniks or Christian Laboutins and just never got around to getting them (because they cost a few thousand dollars), sit back and turn on your imagination.)

One of the back stories of Christian Laboutin shoes and their red souls and inside of the heels is that they remind one of prostitutes slopping around in the blood of the meat packing districts. There does seem to be some correlation with naughty women and elevated feet. High heels restructure the spine, cause body parts to be askew and flirty and make a woman just a bit unstable. But then again, with a little practice, some gals can run in them. I remember those days.

 

I recently went into my closet and purged it of magnificent high heeled shoes, some I never wore. Years ago I traveled to Europe over nine summers. During a trip to Milano in the early 1980s, I went to Vigevano, the shoe manufacturing center: the shoes were so exquisite and reasonable I had to buy another suitcase to get home. I saved about five pairs for so many years that I could no longer think of wearing them; they were in perfect condition but my feet weren’t. I had became Cinderella’s step sister and was no longer Cinderella. Couldn’t get my feet into the glass slipper. Time marches on, feet march on, arches collapse and the shoes are given away for someone else to enjoy. Believe me, it hurt my memories more than my feet.

There’s just something about women and shoes.

 

 

 

There is hardly a way to tell the old styles from the new. Shoes are often modeled after household items from specific eras, eg., candlesticks. Anything for inspiration.

Sorry for reflections/glare in the glass. The exhibit is huge and some areas are relatively darker than others. (used phone and camera)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Video:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Architecture influences fashion. Fashion influences architecture.

 

 

 

 

 

Video: