The Medieval Shoes
The Museum of the London they have just opened the new Medieval Gallery, one which features many examples of the medieval couture and the medieval shoes.
For the example, the top pictures is is of the tiny shoe of the child, from the 14th century. And the bottom picture it is the pointy toed shoe called the “poulaine”, also from the 1300’s. (Of the course, this example, it is not as good as the one in the Manolo’s personal collection.)
Speaking of the poulaines, the Manolo he has for the while been meaning to mention this website, whose goal it is to “get as many people into the pointy shoes as possible.”
Manolo loves the crazy SCA peoples with their rattan swords and homemade poulaines!
December 13th, 2005 at 7:13 pm
Cynthia, the author of the “pointy shoe” website in question made me a purple and black houppelande exactly in the style of what Malificent sported in Sleeping Beauty- because I was tall, thin and perhaps a bit evil. Alas, she moved back East before we had an chance to make the pointy (and also reasonably historically accurate) headdress. Still, it’s a great costume, and yes, looks great with the shoes of pointiness.
Alas, these days my attire is much more mundane- in all senses of the word.
December 14th, 2005 at 9:16 am
Manolo, the people of the SCA, we love you too. :D
December 14th, 2005 at 9:59 am
I have never felt as much delight when reading this blog as when I read that you love us “crazy SCA peoples”. I will concur with The Baron; we love you, too!
December 14th, 2005 at 10:05 am
La BellaDonna, she remembers making the poulaines more than twenty years ago; they were of leather, and parti-coloured: one-half was white leather, the other half was gold leather. She put scrolling gold embroidery on the white half, and white pearl embroidery on the gold half. She is happy that other peoples will have the opportunity to enjoy the pointy feets … and very happy that the Manolo loves the “crazy SCA people.” She is also somewhat envious and hoping that perhaps the Manolo, he will post a picture of his poulaines?
La BellaDonna, she loves the poulaines AND the Manolo!
December 14th, 2005 at 11:24 am
I just have to add my voice to the cry– the SCA peoples love you, too!!!
December 14th, 2005 at 11:59 am
There is no fabulousness like historical fabulousness. Oh for the days of tasteful excess (as opposed to tacky modern excess). Manolo in full Elizabethan; Manolo in a houpelade, Manolo in Byzantine - all would be quite fetching, and no doubt accompanied by a well turned and excellently shod leg. R. - One of those crazy SCA peoples since 1973.
December 14th, 2005 at 6:07 pm
Ah, Manolo! Please post a photo of your poulaines! I would be most grateful and delighted!
December 15th, 2005 at 5:38 pm
Here is a super fantastic (but oh so tiny) photo of the poulaines of the rock-n-roll as exhibited on the super fantastic feets of The Leningrad Cowboys.
http://www.leninimports.com/akiklcgapic24.gif
Alas, the super fantastic movie “The Leningrad Cowboys Go America” is available only on the VHS, but there is no accounting for taste and perhaps many of the peoples don’t appreciate the humor of that great Finn Aki Kaurismaki.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000IQCD/qid=1134685731/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-3580035-0251915?v=glance&s=video
December 19th, 2005 at 10:32 pm
Holy Corner Kickers Batman!
December 28th, 2005 at 10:41 am
So that the Manolo may wear his brocade dressing gown and enjoy his own Tres Riche Heures in a pair of poulaines which he does not have to make himself, La BellaDonna attaches this link for his enjoyment:
http://www.nmia.com/~bohemond/Bootshop/period-page/period-boots.htm
January 3rd, 2006 at 7:26 pm
Poulaine-length pointiness? You ain’t seen nuthin yet. Only ours will be strictly for the most elegantly weird women, with the longest, sharpest toe ever attempted on the thinnest, curviest 10 centimetre stiletto heel yet. You have been warned. Blunt shoes are dead, all over again. Enjoy the trip (literally in some cases I have no doubt)! Search for us this summer! Incidentally, Manolo, are you related to that Archbullshitter of Bath, Marlon O’Blarney, the famous Irish shoemaker, and the latest in a whole load of old cobblers?