A few weeks ago, Matt Rudd of the Sunday Times of London asked me for a statement on the history of high heels. Though he didn’t quote me exactly, he did quote me first in his column, “God of Small Things” yesterday. For your reference, here’s the complete version of what I told him:
High heeled shoes have been around nearly as long as human civilization – with the first depictions of elevated shoes (a pre-cursor to the high heel) appearing as ceremonial dress in ancient Egyptian murals dating as far back as 3500 BC, and worn by both men and women of the upper classes. Generally, the popularization of the high heel is attributed to Catherine de Medici who – at only five feet tall – was eager to increase her appeal both to her husband and to the nation of France. Since that time, heels have often been associated with French high fashion – including France’s King Louis XIV who introduced the ‘red soled heel’ that Christian Louboutin has since co-opted as a signature element.”
Hula Hoop is 54 today " ** FILE ** Two models gracefully swing their new Hula-Hoops as they display the latest bodice creations in lingerie at a fashion show in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 21, 1958. It's hard to believe in age of action-packed video games and other whiz-bang gadgets, the Hula Hoop once was the hippest toy around. The hoopla started 50 years ago Thursday, June 19, 2008 when entrepreneurs Richard Knerr and Arthur "Spud" Melin sought a trademark for a plastic cylinder that had inspired by a similar toy that had enjoyed modest success in Australia's school yards. (AP Photo/Riethausen)"
Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle (My Fair Lady, 1964) Costumes by Cecil Beaton
“The makeup people, led by the Westmore brothers, did a fine job de-glamorizing Audrey, with [Cecil] Beaton’s cooperation. Her hair had to be filled with an unpleasant substance known as Fuller’s earth—which was quite toxic—and she had to wear a special kind of kohl makeup and a drab foundation to make her look sallow and underfed. For the tests she also had to undergo the blackening of her fingernails and the backs of her hands, and her clothes were deliberately made large so that her frail figure would disappear in them…
Every scene had to be tested in costume again and again because the essence of the movie lay in the gradual transition of Audrey from goose to swan. Beaton stood over her like a Svengali, ordering, in his own words, ‘Strands of her hair to be placed in this direction or that, suggesting more or less eyelash, selecting a brooch or a trinket.’ Every hairstyle had to be argued over and decided upon. Finally, Audrey and Beaton jointly settled on Edwardian bangs like those worn by the famous British music hall star Gertie Millar. Audrey risked having her face look even more square than usual because she wanted total period authenticity, and deeply respected Beaton’s taste and experience…
She had particular fun choosing the right hat for the ascot scene. She and Beaton finally chose one that was replete with cloth poppies and antic bows and would tremble when she jumped up to see the horses.”
I told you to watch this space for more give-aways! Today’s contest is to win a copy of Balenciaga and Spain by Hamish Bowles. This is an exhibition catalog from the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco’s exhibition last year. Worn Through writer, Lauren Michel reviewed the show back in May 2011 and included a number of wonderful photographs, plus an interview with Hamish Bowles.
To enter to win a copy of the lavishly illustrated book, I want to know which of his many inspirations speaks to you most. In the comments section below, tell me which Balenciaga design you love – and what inspired it (and be sure to include links to photos!)
Yesterday, the Smithsonian Magazine’s blog, Past Imperfect posted a rather long article on Rudolph Valentino and his impact on sex and seduction in the early silent film era – and of course there is a brief mention of Natacha Rambova (the main subject of my own research). The article spends much of its time focused on the very public battle over the speculation of his sexuality, and his impact on masculinity in film. However, the article fails to discuss the role that Rambova played in the creation of his on-screen persona – especially in the role that many suggest established him as an entirely masculine star, The Son of The Sheik.
Although Rambova and Valentino had already separated by this point, their time together had inevitable effect on the development of his on-screen personas. This, coupled with the fact that Rambova’s costumes from Hooded Falcon were used for The Son of The Sheik, suggests that she had a significant (perhaps unintentional) hand in his career trajectory.
“A stunning Moorish costume adorned the stalwart form of our hero, including a pair of cerise satin Zouave trousers plentifully braided and embroidered in gold. These had been secured in Algiers originally for ‘The Hooded Falcon,’ which Rudy never made and which was the high spot in the Valentino contention with the Ritz-Carlton Company, which sent him into the United Artists fold. Natacha Rambova was the one who designed the costumes, to the tune of $100,000. They now lie on the wardrobe shelves. This is the first use that has been made of any of them.”[1]
Regardless of whether this bit of publicity is true (often the film studios publicity machine’s put out information that was in fact dead-wrong) – many actors regularly explain that putting on their costumes has helped them to ‘realize’ or ‘achieve’ the personality of an on-screen character (see the work of Dr. Deborah Nadoolman Landis). This is no less true in the early days of film. Rambova’s impact on Valentino is regularly discussed – often with negative connotations: she was too avant-garde for some, and European tastes often read as ‘effeminate’ to middle America. It’s unfortunate that this positive association is overlooked.
Despite this foible – I think the article is a good introduction to those unfamiliar with the scandals and speculations associated with Rudolph Valentino and his now infamous cult of celebrity.
[1]Chicago Tribune, April 11, 1926. William McGuire Papers, Library of Congress, Box 83, Folder 1.
The Associated Press Stylebook has added a fashion focused chapter, compiled by Samantha Critchell, AP fashion writer for the last 12 years.. The AP Stylebook Online has also recently added a new Fashion Guidelines section, including 185 terms and names. These include:
June 1959, Original caption:This is the official poster that will announce to the Russians that the Dior fashion collection will be shown in Moscow from June 12 to June 16. Dior star model Ghislaine Arsac is featured on the poster surrounded by a tricolor band.
On the occasion of the Dance/USA Conference held this year in San Francisco, Museum of Performance and Design will display, for one day only, a selection of unique documents and costumes from the dance archives. The Museum will also give a tour of the regional hub of Dance Heritage Coalition’s Secure Media Network, which is hosted locally at MPD. The Secure Media Network is an online searchable database of streaming archival-quality dance footage.
We had another good set of entries for this contest to win the Cult of Beauty exhibition Catalog, with some good photo entries. I’m planning on doing more of these in the coming months – so keep your eyes open for more opportunities. The Winner is….
“What cannot be pushed past the censors with words is often tried with costume. Marilyn Monroe was an expert at this—often to the despair of designers. Miss Monroe refused to wear underclothes. She felt they inhibited the rotary motion of her hips, dulled the color of her skin and, in general, reduced her sex appeal. Even in a high-necked gown with long sleeves she managed to be so revealing that on one occasion beads had to be added as a sop to the censors.
“Miss Monroe’s favorite comment about the concern of censors with her cleavage was: ‘The trouble with censors is that they worry whether a girl has cleavage. They ought to worry if she hasn’t any.’ To make sure her cleavage was shown to best advantage, she would slyly pull down the décolletage before camera time. This infuriated some of her designers.”
