Went to the museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Fashion and Textile History Gallery.
I hate this place.
It’s my own special torture chamber: all these exquisite vintage and contemporary garments right frikin there in front of me, and I Can’t Touch Them!
Gah!
The guards are on to me too, they can see my hands just itching to flip the hem on the 1860′s split skirt made for bicycling and have a look at the seam finishing.
Have to walk through the exhibit with my hands behind my back. It sucks!
But anyway. The exhibit right now is called The Sporting Life, all about how athletics have influenced and inspired fashion.
And guess what they have? Pointe shoes! Capezio from the 1940′s, in a display box beside two pairs of flats that show a pointe shoe influence.
You can see the label stamped to the canvas insole, reads Durotoe in a big blocky font.
No photos allowed in the gallery so here are my doodles, was interested in the ribbons: each shoe has one long ribbon, sewn at the outside of center back with messy little stitches. And the ribbon is thin, double faced satin, might actually be silk.
I’d know if I could’ve touched them!!!!
Gah!!!!
Anyway!
The museum is free and always shows amazing stuff, go look if you think you can control yourself.
Ha! I remember DuroToe from when I did pointe the first time around, so they were still being made as late as…1985 or so? Nobody I knew wore them, but they were there.
Also on the “plus ça change” tip, my teacher had us sew our ribbons all in one piece, but laying across the inside of the shoe (so the ribbon lays across the insole under your arch) instead of at the back. I think the idea was to make it easier for the young’uns to do the sewing since she encourages (read “requires,” and fittingly so) them to sew their own shoes. I, on the other hand, plan to mail my next pair to you for sewing.
Ha! Good! I’ll be sure to do an Excellent and Very Expensive job!
Came across that one-ribbon-under-the-arch thing while researching how to sew ribbons, someone was saying that she did her ribbons that way for performance, in order to prevent her shoe from flying off if one ribbon came un-stitched. Kinda makes sense!
Wow this sounds like a really nice collection. I bet they had tons of Gibson Girl outfits; I just love Edwardian Fashion!
They did! The exhibit is grouped by sport, with one whole platform of tennis, croquet, and badminton outfits, all shades of white and natural linen and lace, from the late 1800′s to something white and mesh and recent from Lacoste. Yum.
I’m the same way in art museums! When I really love a painting, I just want to run my fingers across it to feel every brushstroke and change in texture. I have to walk around with my hands behind my back the entire time. Van Goghs are the worst. It’s why I became an art historian.
Grrrrrrrr museums! Why you gotta do us like that? (shakes fist at beautiful exhibit)