Gilded New York....a visit to the Museum of the City of New York

On a recent visit to the Museum of the City of New York we visited one of their exhibitions "Gilded New York". It explores the culture of the city at the end of the 19th century, an era marked by success and lavish lifestyles.  The exhibition features jewelry, costumes and decorative objects set in a beautiful display. We even found some shoes!
From their website:

Explore the visual culture of elite New York in the late-19th and early- 20th centuries.

Inaugurating the Museum’s Tiffany & Co. Foundation Gallery, Gilded New York explores the city’s visual culture at the end of the 19th century, when its elite class flaunted their money as never before. In New York, this era was marked by the sudden rise of industrial and corporate wealth, amassed by such titans as Cornelius Vanderbilt and Jay Gould, who expressed their high status through extravagant fashions, architecture, and interior design. The exhibition presents a lavish display of some 100 works, including costumes, jewelry, portraits, and decorative objects, all created between the mid-1870s and the early 20th century. The dazzling works in the exhibition will illuminate an era when members of the new American aristocracy often displayed their wealth in storied balls in Fifth Avenue mansions and hotels. It was a time when New York became the nation’s corporate headquarters and a popular Ladies’ Mile of luxury retail establishments and cultural institutions helped launch the city to global prominence.

Fancy dress costume by Maison Worth representing “Electric Light,” 1883 • Worn by Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt II to the Vanderbilt Ball

Matching satin and sequin slippers and silk stockings to go with her gown

Link to visit the Museum website http://www.mcny.org/content/gilded-new-york

Victorian Lace-Up Boots

We were going through our archives and found this lovely photo from a past New York Times Magazine editorial.  Featuring our Black "Victoria" granny style boots.

Victoria Boot

Peter Fox Shoes On Sale

BIG SUMMER SALE!!!
We will be retiring some long standing styles from our collection. Last chance to order some of your favorites....at a big discount!
Sales are in both Bridal/Dyeable and Leather collections.
Remember...you don't have to be a bride to purchase dyeable shoes.  They can also be dyed to any color for evening shoes or just to a fun color.  Did you ever want to own a pair of red silk shoes?  Now is the perfect time!
10% to 70% off in Bridal and Leather styles!
www.peterfox.com

Red Silk Shoes

Spectator shoes

Oxford shoes

Shoes with Red Bows and Beads

Shoe History

We came across this amazing pair of shoes while browsing the Bata Shoe Museum site.

Among the exotica that made its way to Venice were the highkabkabs worn by Turkish women in bathhouses. Kabkabs are thought to have inspired the chopine. These wooden kabkabs are beautifully decorated with inlaid mother of pearl. Reaching the height of twenty-six centimetres, these kabkabs are less than half the height of the tallest chopine.

Kabkabs
Turkish, 19th century