BLOG BLESS: Fifty that changed the world.

This is such a belated post it's silly but I wanted to mention this as part of 2009's spring clean (which is taking place in 2010, I get it) firstly, as a big Thank You to LibertyLondonGirl, secondly because these are truly good and lastly because I WON THEM!!!

Now, I adore LLG's blog and it happens to be one of very few that I actually leave comments on, simply because of how interesting and relevant her posts are. So, it was on one of her giveaways that I won these cool series of books, published by the Design Museum. I actually thought I had won one of them so imagine my surprise when the full set arrived at my door! Thank you, thank you, thank you LLG and Design Museum! "Fifty cars/dresses/chairs/shoes that changed the world" are actually interesting little books in that I've found myself debating whether I agree with each entry or not rather than simply stare at a beautiful image and dream away (nothing wrong with that either!)

Surprisingly, it's the "Fifty Dresses" selection I found the least interesting whereas "Fifty Chairs" and "Fifty Cars" were fascinating, and this is to someone with limited interest in chairs (are they comfy? Done!) and zero head space for cars (nil point zero!) It is "Fifty Shoes" though that I actually learned the most from. For example, I loved reading about the story of the humble plimsoll, manufactured in the 1830s by the Liverpool Rubber Company (later to become Dunlop!) and especially, the Frye boot, created in 1863 in the US by an English immigrant bootmaker, John A Frye. I must confess complete ignorance as to the history of Frye. I recently saw some great boots by the company but really thought they were a new name from the States. Little did I know that their boots were worn by both sides during the American Civil War and by many of the West's pioneers!

Images courtesy of the Design Museum.