The Shape You're In?* --- Day 6/138

Walk: SFMOMA (Tour Research)
Distance: 3 miles

*Chris Johanson, (American, b. 1968), I Do Not Know But Am Open to Learning, 2013, nylon, blower motor, plywood box, wire

Dark on Dark --- Day 6/137

Walk: SFMOMA (Edvard Munch Exhibition)
Distance: 2.5 miles, home yoga

Edvard Munch (Norwegian, 1863-1944), Eye in Eye, 1899-90 

Ciwt thinks she remembers reading somewhere that Edvard Munch was actually quite light-hearted and amusing company.  Hope so, because Ciwt is scheduled to give several tours of a large exhibition of his paintings presently at SFMOMA. There lots of them, and they aren't uplifting company.  Eye in Eye above is about as cozy as they get, and rest aren't far off in feeling from his iconic The Scream  (1893).  Onward to locate that happy article before she dives into the necessary deep research for her tours.

Two for the Road --- Day 6/136

Walk: Jan's Massage
Distance: 2.6 miles

                           

In summer Ciwt notices an uptick in the speed of the cars around her in San Francisco.  And a lot of unexpected car tricks being played by young, out of school drivers doing whatever... to get by her on the road.  

But then she can just imagine what those drivers might be thinking* when they see darling Ciwt ahead of them.

* Incorrrectly 😸🚀

No Bid Tonight --- Day 6/135

Walk: No, still nursing tingling feet
Distance: Not far, Home Yoga

Ciwt is just home from bridge at her club.  Catch you later...

July Fourth 2017 --- Day 6/134

 

 

Adornments --- Day 6/133

Walk: No, Aching Feet 😟😬
Distance: A Few Blocks, Home Yoga

Hats are on CIWT because they are the artistic, historical, socio-economic subject of a thoughtful, well researched and lovingly presented exhibition currently at the Legion of Honor: Degas, Impressionism and the Paris Millinery Trade.

One aspect of the millinery trade - among many - is its liberal use of decorative adornments.  Three types easily come to mind and elicited different degrees of reaction from Ciwt.  The most difficult, and there is literally no other way to put this, is The Whole Bird.

Silk Faille, Velvet and Cord, Jet Beads, African Starling Bird 😬, ca 1890 

The news here is too grim for Ciwt to recount - easily billions of birds as the middle class prospered, began emulating the fashionable elite and women's hats became larger and more lavish.  Eventually societies for the preservation of birds were founded, including the Audubon Society in America and the English Society of the Protection of Birds.  Strongly criticizing the French millinery trade in particular, they struggled to enact laws as well as re-educate the public, particularly women, through public lectures, periodicals and books.  Thus they played some part in ending 'The Age of Extermination' by World War I when more practical styles came into fashion.

As if this wasn't bad enough, the birds were preserved in such poisonous chemicals as arsenic acid which, if they didn't kill the millinery workers outright, led to severe physical and mental conditions.

The phrase  "Mad As A Hatter" was not invented by Lewis Carroll for Alice's time-challenged rabbit but was descriptive of an actual phenomenon in the hat trade.

Michniewicz-Tuvee (F. active c. 1868-1905),  Woman's hat c. 1892, Rabbit felt, ostrich feathers, silk satin ribbon, faceted jet buckles.

Still imperfect but mercifully less upsetting for Ciwt as adornments are feathers.  To be more specific, plumage that could be safely removed from birds - or, better yet but not as frequent, molted naturally.

Ostrich plumes fit this bill and those from African ostrich farms posed no issues with conservationists.  Whew, thinks Ciwt because this is one of her favorite hats in the show.  Simple, tasteful, elegant lines, rich color with that lovely soft touch of plumed femininity.

Maison Virot, Woman's hat, c. 1900.  Plaited straw over wire frame, silk velvet and maline; silk roses, leaves and ferns.

Last and most agreeable in the large adornments for hats department are flowers.  All artificial! And so artfully rendered.  The production of flowers from silk, cotton, velvet and paper was a large industry in Paris. By the 20th century an estimated 28,000 artificial flower makers were working in the city and swelling the ranks of newly liberated women.

The Fine Arts Museums have begun to accompany selected exhibitions with free on-line, interactive and excellent introductions they call "Digital Stories."   Ciwt lifts her hat and highly recommends the Paris Millinery Trade link for those wishing to see and learn more about this important and complex aspect of fashion, social and artistic history.

Lines --- Day 6/132

Walk: Crissy Field, Sloat Garden

Distance: 3.8 miles, Home Yoga

Lines

Hat Tricky --- Day 6/131

Walk: Car errands
Distance: A Few Blocks, Home Yoga

Ciwt has a longtime fascination with hats and a small collection.  She can actually look quite fetching in them, but rarely wears one.  For one thing, there is the near constant wind in San Francisco.  But, mostly it is a matter courage.  Wearing a hat, a true chapeau, takes a certain amount of  courage and willingness to be 'seen.'  The proper way for a lady to wear one is Always; when she completes her ensemble with the right hat, she wears it throughout the day or evening, inside and out.

Some viewers - especially men - admire and are intrigued by such a feminine high fashion (and individual) statement.  Others damn with faint praise, sideways looks or actual negative comments. No matter what the reaction, you keep the hat on; it can be nerve wracking.

Even in the late 19th century when propriety demanded a hat be worn outside of the home and you were not fully dressed without a hat, wearing one was dicey.  Hats may have been everywhere but they were not taken for granted.  People noticed them and had opinions about the wearer's tastefulness, class, morals, character - sometimes positive and more often critical.  All this at a time when individualism was not valued as it is in our country today, so Ciwt can just imagine how painful it could of have been for women who had chosen the 'wrong' hat, but then had to go about wearing it throughout the entire day and evening.