MEMORABILIA CORNER: FRED ASTAIRE

This pair of brown suede tap shoes worn by Fred Astaire date from the 1930s. We are still working to determine exactly when and where they were worn. Several biographers of Fred Astaire have noted his perfectionist tendencies. He reportedly practiced, practiced and practiced again to achieve his fluid, elegant dance persona. These well-worn shoes bear witness to this effort.

Even today, Astaire is considered a style icon. He is often remembered in elegant formal dress, as he wore in the 1935 film Top Hat. In his 1959 autobiography, Astaire admitted his dislike of formal wear, writing, "At the risk of disillusionment, I must admit that I don't like top hats, white ties and tails."1 He was fastidious about his wardrobe and had strong ideas about how men should dress. In an extensive GQ interview from August 1957, Astaire detailed his style preferences, including his taste in tie width, shirt cuffs, and tailoring. Most notable is Astaire's preference for using silk handkerchiefs instead of belts!  By the time he first appeared in a Hollywood film in 1933, Fred Astaire was already an experienced and popular performer...

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