Aerialist Nik Wallenda will try tonight at 10 p.m. ET to become the first person since 1896 to tightrope across Niagara Falls. What should he wear?
My favorite tightroping outfit, of course, is a sparkly, frilly little number like the one below. But that's probably not appropriate for a man, and bare feet might get slippery.
My favorite tightroping outfit, of course, is a sparkly, frilly little number like the one below. But that's probably not appropriate for a man, and bare feet might get slippery.
Trapeze walker at Circus Girl University of Florida, March 1952. Photo from Life magazine
| Nik will likely wear casual athletic gear for his walk across Niagara Falls today. Anne Edson Taylor, the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel, wore a long skirt and blouse for the stunt in 1901. Though she survived, this outfit seems a bit heavy for tightrope-walking over the Falls. Philippe Petit, when he crossed between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in 1974, wore a black top, black tights, and ballet-style flats. |  Tightrope walker Nik Wallenda preparing for today's walk across Niagara Falls. Photo by David Duprey/Associated Press  Nik Wallenda's tightrope-walking shoes. Photo by David Duprey/Associated Press  Annie Edson Taylor with the barrel she used to go over the Falls. Photo and info from Symonsez  Phillppe Petit tightroping between the Twin Towers, 1974, New York City. Image from the James Marsh's documentary Man on Wire  These are the style shoes Phillippe Petit wore for his walk between the towers. Image from cover of The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein |  Nik Wallenda practices at the Seneca Niagara Resort. Photo by Ida Mae Astute/ABC Wallenda will walk the 1,550-foot span from the U.S. to Canada suspended 173 feet above the falls. Such a walk has been banned for 128 years, but Wallenda managed to gain special permission. Read more here. The event will air live on ABC Friday during the 9-11 p.m. special, “Megastunts: Highwire Over Niagara Falls — Live!” It’ll be preceded at 8 p.m. with “Countdown to Niagara: The Greatest Megastunts of All Time.”  63-year-old Annie Edson Taylor after her plunge over Niagara Falls in 1901. Photo and info from Symonsez  Phillippe Petit (photo credit unknown) |
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