Spring
May 12, 2014 § 2 Comments
After one of the coldest winters — finally, 2 days in a row of beautiful weather.
Phyllis A. Tweel, Gossip Columist, Soho Weekly News 1979
The High Line
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Happy Mother’s Day USA.
May 11, 2014 § 5 Comments
Here’s a photo of my fabulous fashionista mother — circa 1970. If only you could see the shoes she was wearing. Wishing all the mothers a wonderful day!
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Charles Jourdan/Andante 1979
May 10, 2014 § 1 Comment
Charles Jourdan Advertisement, 1979
Dior – 2014
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YOHO
May 4, 2014 § 4 Comments
Today my family and I visited an artists Space in Yonkers housed in an old Carpet Factory. The space inside and the art being made there is truly wonderful, but when we got there I was more intrigued by what was outside, and disappointed I didn’t bring my camera. I took some pictures with my phone. It made me think of my grandfather and his factory days. I definitely felt the ghosts.
Yonkers as Gallery – The New York Times
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Salvatore Ferragamo
April 27, 2014 § Leave a comment
Notes from a trip to Italy that my grandfather took in May of 1955 when he was the general manager for the I. Miller shoe factories.
Salvatore Ferragamo/Women’s Runa Suede Bow Pump
THE SALVATORE FERRAGAMO MUSEUM
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Another Mystery
April 25, 2014 § 4 Comments
In the 1960’s, with a heart condition, my grandfather retired to Florida — today he probably would have had bypass surgery and continue to work. After my grandmother died he set up a studio in his garage and taught himself to paint. So I was surprised to find this article from Boot and Shoe Recorder Magazine. After some reading about labor relations and Puerto Rico I think it may have been around 1962 – 1963.
Boot and Shoe Recorder. Date unknown.
Courtesy Library of Congress;Reproduction Number: HABS PR,7-SAJU,6–11
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More Treasures Discovered
April 23, 2014 § 6 Comments
My sister who lives in my grandfather’s former home in Florida found a few shoes stored in her garage. 1 pair of I. Miller, 1 pair of Daniel Green and 1 Crik-etts. The I. Miller and Daniel Green look like they’re from the 1930’s. It’s a mystery as to why he would have saved them since he didn’t leave Schwartz & Benjamin until the 1940’s and joined I. Miller in the 1950’s. They look like samples to me — too small to belong to my grandmother Rose. They may have been his designs that were copied (Patent). Unfortunately with the relentless Florida humidity the shoes are in sad shape.
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Platforms
April 20, 2014 § 4 Comments
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A drawing my sister did in 1973 when she was 14.
Platform Shoes, Drawing by Carol Benjamin, 1973
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Memorabilia
April 18, 2014 § 2 Comments
On a recent trip to visit my mother I found a case that belonged to my dad filled with family shoe memorabilia.
I. Miller Shoe Advertisement, New York Times, April 17, 1955.
One of my beloved moccasins that I mentioned in my previous post was in it.
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Weejuns – The Original Penny Loafer
April 12, 2014 § 17 Comments
When I think of my favorite shoes growing up 3 come to mind. My huaraches from Mexico. My dad taught us to stand in the bathtub with them on and then wear until dry so they could conform to your feet. My moccasins that were sent to us every year — I always thought from a friend of my dad’s at Minnetonka. I only just recently learned that my Dad had worked as a designer and stylist for Minnehaha (a contemporary or Minnetonka) in the 1950’s — one of the advantages of having a dad in the shoe business who was well liked was the shoes that came with that. Read more about my dad who would wake us up singing “there’s no business like shoe business ” — Ode To An Older Parent And Tribute To The Veteran In My Life by award winning Television writer sister Liz Benjamin. It pretty much says it all.
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…and my 3rd favorite were my Penny Loafers. Going to school in Florida I wore them without socks and always with 2 new Pennies.
Courtesy Library of Congress, Reproduction Number: LC-USW3-039059-E (b&w film nitrate neg.) LC-DIG-fsa-8d33850 (digital file from original neg.)
Loafing Around | A Brief History of Fashion’s Favorite Flat
In 1936 George Henry Bass created the first Penny Loafer based on a Norwegian farm shoe and called them Weejuns.
Audrey Hepburn
College Days. My mother is the first woman bottom left.
Women's Footwear in America 