Eighty years in style: Astaire and Rogers

There used to be a saying — I think it was even on a T-shirt — that Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, only backwards, and on high heels.

I knew the intent. It was a feminist shout out, meant to reaffirm that women could do anything men can do. And some slyly wanted to imply that women could do it better. Whatever. It bugged me because it was wrong. Not completely wrong. Ginger dances in heels. Otherwise it’s wrong in specifics, and especially in intent.

First of all, Ginger does no...