The Red Shoes

Following on from last week's Balls to Black Friday blog, I thought I would share an outfit photo.  We've had a great deal of inclement weather in the last 7 days, so I've been reorganising my wardrobe in my spare time.  This one is almost entirely second hand: vintage Mina of Carnaby Street dress, Kriss cardigan (made in Sweden - a charity shop purchase, gorgeous quality and just works with this dress), Fat Face twisted leather belt (this week's charity shop find), new Beach Bum Snag tights (vegan, plastic free) and second hand cowboy boots.

Continuing my sort out in the kitchen I found a small jar at the back of a cupboard, containing shells I had collected from Luskentyre Beach on the Isle of Harris.  I decided that the shells and an Aladdin Sane card that had been languishing in a drawer for too long, needed to be framed in the two frames I had picked up at a charity shop a couple of months ago for £2.00 each.  Not a bad return on my investment.

Last Sunday we were very relieved to receive our booster jabs.  The queues were long but fast moving and the mood was upbeat.  There was a real community spirit and the view wasn't bad either with the community centre's walls adorned with local archive photos and artwork celebrating Wordsley's renowned glass heritage and historic canal network.

Apart from a very sore arm (a first for me), I felt fine, although Gareth did feel a little out of sorts for a couple of days.  

Post vaccine, we decided to take a walk and give my red Crocs - the perfect antidote to these blue days - a first outing.  They had arrived in the post the previous day, causing much celebration on my part and cries of "Noddy" from Gareth.  Storm Arwen ensured that the ground was muddy enough as we headed to Kinver Edge just as the sun started to dip in the sky.  I teamed them with Zara jeans (ebay purchase), vintage knit, vintage sheepskin coat, woolly hat and Turtle Dove recycled cashmere wrist warmers.

Gareth gave chapter and verse to a group of tourists on all of the local places of interest visible from the Edge's vantage point, so by the time we continued towards the trees, the light was fading fast and it had started to snow.  

Without a tripod (which I admit I rarely make the effort to carry), low light necessitates widening the aperture and/or increasing the camera's ISO.  Whilst I prefer natural light photography, I decided now was the time to try something new and experiment with my Nikon's on camera flash; both rear and full versions.  Sadly my bright cherry red wellies were not enough to light the way.

The verdict?  A mixed bag.  Perhaps a wooded area at dusk and in near blizzard conditions was not the best place to trial flash photography.  However, I did like picking out details to train the camera's focus on and how the flash followed suit.  This worked best when capturing the ghostly bark of the silver birch trees, fern fronds and the mysterious orbs amongst the conifer trees.

Boosted and with masks now mandatory in shops, I did visit a couple of local charity shops this week and came back with a few finds - When God was a Rabbit, by Sarah Winman, purchased on a whim and based on a recommendation by the shop assistant, the aforementioned twisted leather belt, a William Morris 2022 calendar (the only new item)... 

...and a pair of floral red clogs by Troentorp of Sweden, founded in 1907. 

I was pleased to note that Troentorp has always emphasized the importance of anatomically correctly constructed footwear, with a base that provides support for feet and back (yay!) The base of every Troentorp clog is made of extra thick planks of wood and constructed using specially developed equipment giving the soles their characteristic footbeds with raised heels and arch support.  The wood used is Alderwood, a type of wood that is well-known for its moisture-absorbing properties, and that keep feet dry and healthy during long days.  I was also happy to discover that the clogs have no signs of wear on the bottoms and that they retail at upwards of £90.00.  I realised when I put them safely away for summer, that they are now the second pair of red clogs I own.  Is this the start of something?

I did start wondering why I am attracted to red shoes...and I am.  I have two pairs of red Swedish clogs, my trusty cherry red DMs and now the red Crocs.  I have also worn and worn out more than one pair of red ballet flats in my time.  There is just  something about red shoes.  When you're downcast, a pair of red shoes cannot fail to lift the spirits.  This moment of reflection sent me hurtling down a rabbit hole, discovering a huge coincidence at the bottom.

Like most people, the first pair of red shoes that caught my attention would have been Dorothy's in The Wizard of Oz.  Those ruby red slippers featured on many a childhood wish list.  Curiously, whilst holed up inside against Storm Arwen at the weekend, I had a little play and created these Wizard of Oz inspired images.  

I am also a lifelong fan of Kate Bush.  Yes, she can appear deranged in some of her early music videos and I get why some people think she sounds like a cat on heat, but I love her.  There's something quintessentially English about her - in a good way.  Amongst the Kate Bush albums I bought and absorbed through my Walkman earphones, I remember listening to this album on repeat.  Title?  You guessed it.  The Red Shoes.  

I remember loving one song, Moments of Pleasure, particularly the poetry and imagery of her lyrics.    

"I think about us diving, diving off a rock into another moment."  

"The buildings of New York look just like mountains through the snow."  Lovely!

Anyway, I digress.  This album's title is taken from the 1948 film The Red Shoes, starring Moira Shearer as a young ballerina torn between her art and her romance with a young composer, and so I have Kate to thank for that introduction.  The film itself is based on the Hans Christian Anderson story.  If you haven't seen it, it is a masterpiece - visually stunning and the dancing sequences (even if you're no fan of ballet) are breathtaking.  Gareth and I watched it last Christmas and were rendered speechless at times.  The film was restored in 2009 and in 2017 a poll of 150 actors, directors, writers, producers and critics for Time Out magazine saw it ranked the 5th best British film ever.

Film still/poster artwork from The Red Shoes

Like many young girls, I took ballet lessons, which I enjoyed for a time (ahem, I may even have passed my Grade I with honours), before deciding my heart wasn't in it.  Quit while your ahead must have been my mantra!  My teacher was one Vilma Henwood, principle of The Henwood School of Dance and Dramatic Art in Stourbridge.  She was an imposing presence in the studio with her jet black hair - worn in wringlets (her sister Thelma, had a similar hairstyle but was blonde).  I recall her telling us to "Move with grace, like fairies - not a heard of elephants!"

Why am I sharing this you might ask?  Well earlier this year, I happened to read a local press feature on Vilma, who I was delighted to discover is still very much alive and now a spritely 90 year old.  But here's the fascinating fact, coincidence, whatever you want to call it.  Vilma featured in The Red Shoes.

https://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/news/19184892.stourbridge-dance-teacher-90-hopes-return-classes/redited as appearing in the Red Shoes.  Maybe that's where my obsession started.  

I have no recollection of her mentioning this claim to fame, although it's possible that she did.  Either way, I'm still reeling from the knowledge that I was taught by such a formidable talent; it's just unfortunate that her stardust failed to land on me!  But, I do love red shoes.