A New Jersey woman was kicked out of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City because she was wearing an authentic period outfit and was believed to be stealing.
Eliza Vincz, 26, had planned to give a talk on the history of fashion for a private group when she was accosted by security at the museum.
‘I was furious and I was embarrassed, ‘ Vincz said to NJ.com. ‘I felt like a criminal in the one place where I get a lot of the inspiration for my clothing. It hurt — it hurt terribly.’
Eliza Vincz, 26, had planned to give a talk on the history of fashion for a private group when she was accosted by security at the museum
The guard accused her of stealing an 18th century handcrafted robe a la francaise. Made from blue silk taffeta, the dress in question came from the Costume Institute
According to the Burlington, New Jersey, woman – who frequents the museum – a security guard made her leave because she was in costume.
‘You can’t be here because you’re in a costume, you need to leave,’ the guard allegedly said before accusing her of stealing an 18th century handcrafted robe a la francaise.
The dress in question is made from blue silk taffeta from the Costume Institute.
Vincz frequents the museum, giving historical fashion tours for her group Shady Ladies
Another ‘very kind’ and ‘sympatheric’ guard escorted Vincz and her fiance through the Greek sculpture garden to the exit
‘The Met doesn’t have a dress code, but there are guidelines for what visitors can bring in and what activities are allowed in the galleries, and the Museum’s security officers are also there to ensure that anyone entering the building isn’t going to unnecessarily disturb fellow visitors or put the art at risk,’ a museum spokeswoman said.
Vincz prides herself on the time and energy she invest in the dresses and hair that she sports.
She leads the Shady Ladies’ ‘Fashion and Beauty Tour’ providing insight to fashion trends of the time.
‘The Met doesn’t have a dress code, but there are guidelines for what visitors can bring in and what activities are allowed in the galleries,’ a museum spokeswoman said
‘It was the best kind of worst compliment you can get,’ she explained.
‘I was so authentic that (the guard) actually thought I had stolen it.’
Another ‘very kind’ and ‘sympatheric’ guard escorted Vincz and her fiance through the Greek sculpture garden to the exit.
‘I felt betrayed — it’s really disappointing that I haven’t gotten an apology from a place that is so special to me,’ Vincz added.