During a recent tour of Rio de Janeiro (the city) I visited the Carmen Miranda Museum. It has many of her private possessions (including her shoes!) and her elaborate wardrobe as a gift from her family after she died.
I didn't know that she was a skilled seamstress - making all her own clothes as a performer until she went to Hollywood. The Museum has many originals under glass, and some reproductions on mannequins in open displays. Plus, there was a big TV screening many of her old movies.
I was great fun! When I saw all the shoes I thought of Gather's own Ina - the shoe maven - and put this together for her. . .
Carman Miranda was short, so the high platform shoes gave her some height, while the long dresses hid them from view. She was smart and talented!
BIO - Richard Frisbie writes culinary travel articles, is a columnist for his local newspapers, and is a regular contributor to the many Hudson Valley, Catskill Mountain and other regional New York publications. Online, he writes frequent articles for EDGE publications, GoNomad and Travel Lady, as well as Gather.
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Comments: 21
Shoes are great. I have 20 pair and my daughter has about 30 pair of regular shoes plus about 30 pair of dance shoes.
Ina, you will love this!
Those were some cute shoes! They actually looked fairly modern.
I always loved Carmen Miranda. Once upon a time, my last name was Carmen. I had a daughter and really wanted to name her Miranda. My husband wisely vetoed that one!
I watched some of the film clips they were screening in the museum. She had poise, charisma, and outrageous costumes. The words of the songs she sang didn't sync with the films very well. Made me wonder if it was technology or she was dubbed.
I took a great deal of ribbing for my shoe fascination - just so I could do this for Ina!
Thanks everyne - I'm glad you liked it.
Happy 100th Birthday, Carmen Miranda!
I had a wooden healed black leather dress pair I used to wear with my favorite checked polyester sports jacket with an emerald green shirt and maroon bell pants. I must have looked like a pimp! CRINGE - what a memory that brings back!
I'll try to remember to take lots of pictures of wine while I'm gone, just for you!
(besides - the video crew took forever to set up and break down so I had nothing else to do in the museum, anyway. I watched all the TV they offered - then I thought of you & the shoe thing. These certainly qualified as outrageous - and an article is born! Glad you liked it!)
I can't think Carmen Miranda without picturing the fruit salad bonnet!
I loved these pictures - omg - the poster...the picture - everything about this - how the heck did I miss this - thank you so much - I'll be back a few times to check this out again. Salud
la lady, platforms like that are actually easier to dance in than regular high heels. much more stable of a base.
La Lady - aren't they something!
Thanks CC - you have good taste - those are the originals!