April 21, 2016

Who What Wear: A Q&A with Dr. Michelle Tolini Finamore ’91

What’s in your closet?

“I wear contemporary pieces mixed with vintage because I like the quality of the vintage pieces. No one makes clothing with a silk lining anymore. I like to troll vintage shops, eBay, and Etsy for designers from the past whose work I know fits me well. Vintage can be clothing from the 1920s to the 1980s — even the 1980s can be considered vintage now. I often cobble it together and call upon creative friends in the field. One of my friends is a talented milliner, based in New York, and another is a jewelry designer who makes dramatic neckpieces and earrings from antique jewelry.”

What items do you always splurge on?

“If I splurge, it’s usually for a dress by a contemporary designer who I love for a museum opening or other event — or for shoes! Shoes are always a good statement piece and can jazz up any outfit. I recently purchased a pair of gravitydefying cantilevered shoes by a designer whose work I have been following because of our work on the #techstyle exhibition.”

At the Museum of Fine Arts, your collection ranges from modern, high-tech pieces to ancient Egyptian textile fragments. How should people store their clothes?

“Padded hangers are the best. And garment bags to protect clothing from light and dust — muslin garment bags. I have some acid-free boxes for the more special dresses.”