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February 26, 2009
Friday Footwear: The Chartres Edition
Years ago, while in pre-production, I was working with our brilliant but mercurial Wardrobe Designer, groping towards a specific and unique look for an actress.
I kept talking about blouses and skirts, fabric, cut, silhouette. I was, I admit, showing off my knowledge of Hollywood costume design history. I dropped learned references to the great designers: Adrian's (real name: Adrian Adolph Greenberg) brilliant work camouflaging Joan Crawford's linebacker shoulders with sharp padding, Travis Banton's Pygmalion transformation of Carole Lombard (real name: Jane Alice Peters) from a cheap tootsie into a sophisticated clothes horse, and Helen Rose's classically elegant and ultra-feminine chiffon creations for Elizabeth Taylor,
My Wardrobe Designer waved away my suggestions and said:
“Shoes.”
I was like: “Huh?”
She said: “For women, I build the wardrobe from the ground up. Footwear.”
My head was, I kid you not, spinning.
“The shoes a woman wears defines who she is.”
“Really?”
Wardrobe Designer gestured to an actress tipping around in fire engine nose-bleed stilettos.
“Daddy issues.”
Nodding towards a female production assistant clomping back and forth in thick-soled brogues, Wardrobe Designer said:
“Sudden attack of manhood.”
Light bulb ablaze over head. Ah, enlightenment.
Wardrobe Designer concluded: “Show me a woman's shoes and I know everything about her.”
“Everything?”
“Everything.”
Our interior designer, the exacting, but client-friendly Erin is back. So much work and so many visits to get a master bedroom into a livable, sleepable, workable space.
Looking all crisp and businesslike in dark pencil skirt inscribed with barely-there pinstripes, Erin listens as our electrician explains why he missed an appointment at Casa Avrech the other day:
“My union called me, out of the nowhere, said I had to take an unscheduled drug test. It's like this thing the union does with the membership.”
Erin chuckles, makes excellent small talk, putting the electrician at ease, then shoots across the room and examines an outlet. She talks placement, junction boxes, annoying wall studs. The electrician is putty in her hands. Erin is simultaneously boss-lady and girl-buddy. She's got that elegant Norma Shearer vibe cross referenced with tough girl Ida Lupino.
Her shoes—on sale at Saks—definitely carry the message.
Ruby Keeler's dancing shoes in the 1933 classic 42nd Street.
Yes, that's what these Chanel pumps reference.
But the design builds on Keeler's single strap shoes. Chanel adds two more straps—good things come in three's—and with the needle high heel we're getting a sultry hint of the combustible Brigitte Bardot in Viva Maria.
As we've said in previous posts, great footwear:
1. Inspires awe.
2. Intimidates with tiny shivers of fear.
And now we add a third commandment: Great footwear has:
3. Architectural presence.
The three straps echo the great flying buttresses of the Chartres Cathedral.
And the three pale shoe buttons recall the Napoleonic march of ivory buttons on leather opera gloves—a great romantic gesture—think Jeanette MacDonald in, oh, any of her light opera movies.
How to describe the color of the shoes?
Frankly, yours truly is stumped. It's an existential moment. Where to turn, what to do?
I consult with my friend Florence Azria, AKA The Shoe Goddess, a woman who has an almost Kabbalistic relationship with shoes.
Florence kvells over Erin's shoes and absolutely nails the color:
“Blush.”
Slip me on, whisper the shoes, and I will transform you into a terrifyingly capable woman, a woman who can easily kibitz with rough hewn electricians, go on to design and build great spaces—and yet remain special forces feminine.
Karen and I wish all our friends and relatives a lovely and meaningful Shabbat.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at February 26, 2009 02:12 PM
Comments
Seraphic Secret is private property, that's right, it's an extension of our home, and as such, Karen and I have instituted two Seraphic Rules and we ask commentors to act respectfully.
1. No profanity.2. No Israel bashing. We debate, we discuss, we are respectful. You know what Israel bashing is. The world is full of it. Seraphic Secret is one of the few places in the world that will not tolerate this form of anti-Semitism. That's it. Break either of these rules and you will be banned.
"Slip me on, whisper the shoes, and I will transform you into a terrifyingly capable woman, a woman who can easily kibitz with rough hewn electricians, go on to design and build great spaces—and yet remain special forces feminine."
Do any such women exist? This piece reminds me of the book "Dress For Success" by John Molloy. It was written years ago but has a fascinating insight (with examples) of how the public views one in various kinds of dress. It's been years, and I think it was written for the male side, but of course equally applicable to the female side.
Posted by: Bill Brandt at February 27, 2009 09:51 AM
The shoes ARE splendid, but you had me at "flying buttresses" -- I'm a sucker for ornate stonework and/or architecture!
Posted by: ProphetJoe at February 27, 2009 11:52 AM
Those are so fly and are only for a woman with slender legs like your decorator. The straps so close to the ankle are not easy to pull off.
Chanel, Chanel, Chanel - I love you Chanel.
I was going to say the color is English wild rose, but blush works too. : )
Posted by: Alice at February 27, 2009 12:01 PM
Bill:
Of course such women exist. Now, most women don't analyze their footwear, but the sub-conscious is a powerful force.
When I asked Erin why she bought the shoes she said: "Because they make me feel good."
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.seraphicpress.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at February 27, 2009 12:32 PM
Prophet Joe:
I was worried that my Chartres analogy might be a bit, um, whacky, not to mention pretentious, but really one look at Erin's shoes and the splendid cathedral popped into my so-called mind.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at February 27, 2009 12:34 PM
Alice:
You're right, you have to have the ankles to pull off these shoes.
Wild Rose?
Oh, yes, excellent!
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at February 27, 2009 12:37 PM
Robert, what about the "ying/yang" of the contrasting black tights? That juxtaposition gives the "blush" a lot of punch.
Posted by: Karen Avrech at February 27, 2009 04:53 PM
Sigh... and all my shoes say is: It's cold in Jerusalem. Really cold. And rainy. (Thank goodness.)
Posted by: Rahel at February 28, 2009 12:11 PM
I need to own both of the shoes up top, I'm afraid. NEED. I would wear either to playgroup with a pair of jeans and a cashmere twin set.
I'm just sayin'.
Posted by: Alice at February 28, 2009 04:26 PM
Definitely, knockout footwear. But if I were wearing them, the footwear alone would be making the statement; I would be more likely to offset them with cream or light-colored hose, thus striving for elegant and subtle.
Wear them well,Erin!
Posted by: Pearl at February 28, 2009 04:59 PM
You guys would lock me away. I'm a comfort, practical, flat and... wide shoe wearer.
Posted by: Batya from Shiloh at February 28, 2009 08:44 PM
Batya-- I know! I used to think I wore relatively fashionable shoes, but then Friday Footwear came along, and I find myself distinctly lacking in the Awe, Intimidation and Architecture requirements.
Posted by: Michal at February 28, 2009 09:54 PM
Karen:
Oh yeah, the dark tights are an excellent choice for contrast, really make the shoes pop.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 1, 2009 08:39 AM
Rahel:
Stay warm and dry, shoe-wise, that is:-)
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 1, 2009 08:42 AM
Alice:
Your proposed ensembles sound like excellent choices. Let us know if you manage to satisfy the need.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 1, 2009 08:52 AM
Pearl:
Elegant and subtle. We like.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 1, 2009 08:55 AM
Batya:
Comfortable and practical? That's a bridge too far, at least here in La La Land:-)
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 1, 2009 08:58 AM
Michal:
Think of Friday Footwear as your, ahem, footwear boot camp.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 1, 2009 09:01 AM
Here's the other side of the coin:
Posted by: kishke at March 1, 2009 11:46 AM
YIN and Yang, Mrs. Karen. :-)
Around here (anyway), Ying-Yang is slang for your derriere -- as in "he's got problems out the ying-yang" (or, alternatively, "out the wazoo").
Rahel -- your 10 day forecast calls for 40-70 degree temps -- I've got a 16 degree day with a windchill of 1... I'll trade you! :-)
Posted by: ProphetJoe at March 2, 2009 06:48 AM
kishke:
Gee, I don't know whether I prefer the cheetah skin "pimp" shoes with the goldfish in the heels, or the split-toe (for some reason, I thought "camel toe") high-heels from Irregular Choice (what an apt name for that shoe company!).
Oy Vey!
Posted by: ProphetJoe at March 3, 2009 06:58 AM
B"H
Sorry, Robert, but it's yet the season when white shoes are considered acceptable. ;-}
"No white shoes after Labor Day!"
Name that film.
Posted by: Ben-Yehudah at March 5, 2009 10:24 AM
Ben Yehudah:
The shoes are not white, they are blush.
As for the quote. Um, "Legally Blond."
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 5, 2009 10:45 AM
Alright, so what does it mean if I don't wear any shoes?
Posted by: Kiwi the Geek at March 12, 2009 01:26 AM