Re: [h-cost] "Walking Art, " at the Italian Cultural Institute - chopines
"Round-heeled" reported a similar phenomenon but due to excessive walking on the job--i.e., street-walker. This is a similar "understanding" of mine --Ruth Anne Baumgartner I've always thought "round-heeled" was aimed more at the "easy to push over" in the sexually available sense... not so much streetwalker as er, um... "amateur enthusiast". And in reference to the "Walking Art" exhibit article the photo caption says "These 12-inch-high chopines are reproductions of a style worn by Venetian women in the 16th century." Well, pooh-pooh! I've never seen chopines that look like that. The ones that are laced have double rows of eyes and they dont have tongues like modern shoes. I dont know of any with a heel cap. The ones that are closed toed are usually mules. Most are open-toed. This is a modern shoe on a 16th-ISH platform. It appears to be suede which is not a 16th leather treatment. And as for the 16th c & Italy as the origin of chopines here are clear references to Spanish chopines in the 15th c; you can find one priest's c1485 diatribe against them in Ruth Matilda Anderson's book, Hispanic Dress. What these 21st century chopines are is amusing; they are a beautifully crafted homage to 16th style, but not a "reproduction". I will now go console my double-laced, open-toed, velvet & tasseled reproduction chopines and tell them how wonderful they truly are and if I get to DC this winter, I will go have a look at the exhibit. --cin Cynthia Barnes [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
RE: [h-cost] "Walking Art," at the Italian Cultural Institute
Don't know about "round heeled" referring to excessive walking-- I've heard it was because a woman of easy virtue was easily pushed over, meaning she had round heels instead of square ones which would tend to keep her from tipping over. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ruth Anne Baumgartner Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2006 2:08 PM To: Historical Costume Subject: Re: [h-cost] "Walking Art," at the Italian Cultural Institute Sounds interesting! But the article's comment "The kings of France adopted high heels, as did the aristocracy, which explains why poor people who couldn't afford them were said to be "down at their heels." sounds fishy to me. My understanding (gleaned where? the mists of time make source uncertain) was that people "down at the heel" walked their heels into nothing--and couldn't afford new shoes (or heels). So, Yes to poverty but No to an inability to afford high-heeled shoes to begin with "Round-heeled" reported a similar phenomenon but due to excessive walking on the job--i.e., street-walker. This is a similar "understanding" of mine Any corrections (or support) from people less dependent on fuzzy memories would be welcome! --Ruth Anne Baumgartner scholar gypsy and amateur costumer On Nov 26, 2006, at 4:42 PM, lisa wrote: > An article appeared in my local paper about this exhibit. > http://tinyurl.com/ye4spw or http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/ > pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061126/LIFE08/611260320/1076 > > Has anyone seen the exhibit and if so, how was it? > > lisa > > ___ > h-costume mailing list > h-costume@mail.indra.com > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] "Walking Art," at the Italian Cultural Institute
Sounds interesting! But the article's comment "The kings of France adopted high heels, as did the aristocracy, which explains why poor people who couldn't afford them were said to be "down at their heels." sounds fishy to me. My understanding (gleaned where? the mists of time make source uncertain) was that people "down at the heel" walked their heels into nothing--and couldn't afford new shoes (or heels). So, Yes to poverty but No to an inability to afford high-heeled shoes to begin with "Round-heeled" reported a similar phenomenon but due to excessive walking on the job--i.e., street-walker. This is a similar "understanding" of mine Any corrections (or support) from people less dependent on fuzzy memories would be welcome! --Ruth Anne Baumgartner scholar gypsy and amateur costumer On Nov 26, 2006, at 4:42 PM, lisa wrote: An article appeared in my local paper about this exhibit. http://tinyurl.com/ye4spw or http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/ pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061126/LIFE08/611260320/1076 Has anyone seen the exhibit and if so, how was it? lisa ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] "Walking Art," at the Italian Cultural Institute
An article appeared in my local paper about this exhibit. http://tinyurl.com/ye4spw or http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061126/LIFE08/611260320/1076 Has anyone seen the exhibit and if so, how was it? lisa ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
