History Ahoy! Hips Don’t lie…much!

Well Hello There BBz,

This week I have been a busy bee writing up some fabulous guest posts for other blogs all about fabulous historical women, so keep an eye out on social media for these, as I will be RTing the links etc.

I am often asked by people where my interest in historical fashion comes from, and I must say that it is directly connected to my interest in Feminism. Clothing and fashion has been at some points, one of the few ways women could express themselves and find a voice through out history….countering that point,  fashion has always been a way to police and control women…whats not interesting about that? Sprinkle on top an interest in textiles and fashion in modern day life and you have a cauldron full of fashion fun.

This weeks History Ahoy! is all about the hips, as people responded so well to last weeks “Historical dress of the week“. It’s such an interesting subject, and I can spend hours talking about crinoline and other historical skirt under garments (over wine, because I am rock and roll obviously!)

Skirt infrastructure – 

There’s a great article about historical under skirts and wear here 

Panniers – These were most prominent in the 18th century and were very popular in the French court but were first seen in the Spanish courts. It was this under skirt that created and supported an extra wide waist and of course, helped spread a bit of the weight of the over skirt evenly. If any of you have worn a wedding dress, imagine that x100 and you can get an idea of how much weight these ladies had to drag around most days if they were fashionistas. So any extra support was always appreciated by them.

Sometimes made of fabric, other times supported with mental frames, these bad boys took wide skirts to the next level. I feel tired just look at them. I think wearing a rucksack is effort, let alone several stone worth of skirt, trail and wire framing! ( and we haven’t even mentioned the weight and size of the wigs!)

Bustle – The “junk in the trunk” effect is historically created by a bustle or hooped petticoat worn underneath a skirt and tied around the waist. These were worn under a skirt and worn above the bottom, to give the big butt effect well know in the Victorian era. They stuck around until around the 1920’s. As if wearing an Edwardian hobble skirt wasn’t hard enough, try doing it with extra butt weight. Seesh!

Crinoline – All I need to say really is Scarlet O’Hara! It was a hooped wire frame worn on the hips that created the extra wide skirts we have come to associate with the American Civil War and Victorian eras.

Invented in France around 1830’s to make skirts extra swish! Talk about the need for personal space, skirts could end up being several feet wide!

Here’s a  nice lil’ diagram to see how skirts and hips totally changed through each historical period. Snazzy huh? I wonder when some of these are going to come back like the Ninties revival has recently? Which style would you like to try? I can’t quite decide…personally if I had to, it would be the “Tudor style” which isn’t featured here…one day. One day.

Here endeth the underskirt lesson, now begins the dress porn!

Such a stunning 18th century dress with pannier under skirt. Beautiful colouring and embellishment too. I would LOVE to wear one of these one day…obviously I’d go to the loo before hand!

Lovely example of a daytime bustle dress. Beautiful isn’t it? I imagine it’s a nightmare to walk in though.

Loving the detailing of the sleeves on this 18th century gown. I bet it looked stunning in the candle light and on the dance floor *floats off to imagination land*

A 18th century day dress, note it’s a bit shorter than the others, this meant you could look shit hot AND walk in the country / streets filled with historical filth without your skirt getting too damaged….remember they rarely washed clothes and used to throw human waste in the streets…niiiice.

I just adore this beautiful number, I presume it’s a wedding dress –

Look at that teeny tiny waist! Look at it! Before you panic, remember women were very short in those days, I would be a giant woman for the time period, and I am short by today’s western standards – 5ft 2. Most women were about 4ft 5 ish so the freakishly teeny waists of yesteryear may have been expanded a wee bit, smaller humans = smaller waists. This doesn’t mean women didn’t tight lace, they did, but it wasn’t as wide spread or as extreme as we are led to believe.

Love this red bustle dress, reminds me of the Queen of hearts! Just look at that detail on the trail. So stunning! *drools* I love how this style still lingers in fashions. I adore big bottoms and ruffles, therefore I adore bustles too.

Bustle inspired gown from 1949

Bustle skirt around 1880’s –

Just your normal day to day crinoline dress. I love this woman is like “are we done yet?” –

1920’s style pannier, as a hippy gal, I love it! With my hourglass figure I would have been rather depressed and my chest very definitely taped up in the 1920’s!

An example of a train or trail, yikes, I would not like to drag that after me for hours on end. I got arm ache from holding a pint for too long the other day ( true story)

Dress of The week 

*que horns* Is this historical inspired wedding dress. Sweet baby Jesus, it’s beautiful. I know I confuse people with my obsession for wedding dresses yet aversion to marriage (it’s EFFORT people) but dang, when you see dresses like this, you understand why I appreciate such design and textile skills, surely? Its from the Elie Saab 2013 collection if you have to have it (and please send pictures and maybe the dress once you’re done if you do!)

Anyway that’s me done for this week, but make sure to check in next week for more historical frock fun! If there is a time period of area that you wish me to look into, let me know on my social channels or comment below ( either makes me feel special and loved) Next up for me is typing up this weeks feminist weekly round up, so keep an eye out for that too!

Love, Love my darlings!

BP <3 Xx

The (ok, so it’s been over a week but it’s a catchy name ok?) Feminist weekly round up!

Hello Bbz

It’s been a pretty crazy few months in the world of feminism ( isn’t it always?) So I am gonna jump right into it.

Tim Hunt (would change the surname to a rather humorous swear word but from his comments he obviously has neither the depth nor the warmth of one of those) made a little “joke” that got a few people pissed off. By few people, I mean half the population of the world.

Between falling in love and crying these lady scientists had a few hilarious responses to his comments which made it all a lil bit sweeter. If you want a daily fix check out the vagenda’s fabulous social campaign response by searching for #DistractinglySexy

Seriously though, bloody hell Tim! We can’t take you anywhere can we?! Either way he has recently responded and he’s learned his lesson. Read your audience next time Tim or call your self proclaimed feminist wife, she seems like a good sounding board for any future jokes.

What isn’t so cool is him losing his job, he may make bad jokes but he also saves lives with his research, so you know, maybe forcing his resignation may save PR for the university but the world certainly has lost something. PR people are sometimes really stupid and shortsighted. I bet they are female.

One of my Girl crushes Amy Schumer confirmed that you can be above size zero and “catch dick”.

“I’m probably like 160 pounds right now and I can catch a dick whenever I want, like, that’s the truth. It’s not a problem!…I didn’t lose my two front teeth until I was in 5th grade, which is late. And that very same week, I got my period. Which is early. So I was just this jack-o-lantern with tits walking around, and I had one of those moms that was like, ‘You don’t need to shave above your knees.’”

Remember peeps if you are going to out and catch dick, please do it safely and make sure that the dick you are catching isn’t actually attached to an even bigger dick ( we’ve all been there..) because you deserve a dick that is attached to decent human being. Listen to Aunty bunnypudding, she loves you. She wants you get your petite morts and respectful cuddles without having to suffer emotional scaring by morons.

Angelina Jolie continued being amazeballs in her campaign to cease rape being used as a weapon of war. Even offering a few ideas (between falling in love with Tim Hunt and Crying)

“We need policies for long-term security that are designed by women, focused on women, executed by women—not at the expense of men, or instead of men, but alongside and with men. There is no greater pillar of stability than a strong, free and educated woman, and there is no more inspiring role model than a man who respects and cherishes women and champions their leadership.”

Preach Ange, preach.

Oh and tell us something we don’t know – mothers are the most under paid people in the world (other than you know, slaves) and to add to that fabulousness to cover the cost of the stress caused by sprogging off, one would have to earn an extra $66k a year…on top of the $120k she doesn’t get paid for the work she does at home. Nice.

We will end on a goodnote with sharing the “good news feminism” tumblr. Check it out if you don’t want to become constantly depressed after reading articles about the world.

Still a bit glum? Well BITCHES take a look at this fabulous video of the bootylicious Luisa Omielan. Self esteem ahoy!

Now I am off to play with my belly fat and wiggle my thighs. Remember, when in doubt, upgrade.

Until next time my lovelies!

Love, love BP Xx

History Ahoy, Sixties Sunday!

Howdy Bbz,

I hope that the weekend is treating you well? I am not going to lie, I am still recovering from a great night last night and am now eating my pain away! It makes me so sad that I used to be able to party all of the time whilst suffering very little and now as I edge ever further towards old age I now know what people mean by “three day hangovers”. Sniffles.

Oh youth, why have you forsaken me? Mind you the alternative is far worse, so I will take the three day hangovers and winkles anyday!

Historical Gown of the week –

Can you imagine trying to get through a door, let alone the loo in this dress?! Lovely detailing in the sewing work. Just beautiful.

 

So this weeks history Ahoy is all about the fashion of the 1960’s. Trust me it’s just an over view, as the best part of this decade is the subcultures that popped up – mods, hippies, fashionista…so I will revisit each one at some point but for now, let’s perve!

I couldn’t even start to mention the 1960’s in fashion terms without mentioning one of mine (every other females) fave film. Racist portrayal by Mickey Rooney aside (eurgh), it’s such a fabulous film and the clothing is AH-MAZING DARH-LING!

 

Oh my god I want that coat, and I want to hang out in London with Twiggy. *throws self on bed and weeps at being born too late*

 

Oh just fabulous hats, hats all round!

 

Could this girl BE any cooler? No, no she could not. She knows the way to my heart – eyeliner and hats. Bitach knows how to please.

 

Everyone loves a Si-fi inspired stripe ensemble. How cute are those skirts? They remind me of Xena’s skirt in Xena Warrior Princess. One of the greatest Tv shows ever made.

 

Monochrome was all the range and some of these dress are iconic and the patterns have pooped up in the 1980’s, 1990’s (which I consider a 60’s fashion reinvention era). Groovy!

 

 

Could Diana Ross BE anymore fabulous than in this style that would be homaged by Britney spears in the Toxic video?

 

Yes, yes she could. Look at that coat! WOOF!

 

Lets have a gander and see what was happening in Bollywood. The back combing craze certainly added some bouffant class to Bollywood. More on Bollywood in later posts.

 

 

London was swinging, and hippy style from San-fran made a lil ripple in the clothing chooses of the cool kids.

 

 

Further reading (and perving)

http://digthe60s.tumblr.com/

http://that60sgirl.tumblr.com/

http://lost60s.blogspot.co.uk/

 

Any fashion blog recommendations are most welcomed! If you want to get a regular fix of historical fashion then pop over to my pinterest account and fill your boots.

I also do twitter, tumblr (it’s where I ease my gif addiction), instagram and facebook, so you have no excuse not to stalk me.

Until next day darlings!

Love, love, BP Xx

I finally obtain a computer

Hello My darlings,

I finally have a laptop. It’s not amazing but I have already grown fond of hearing its little hum as it slowly turns obsolete in this fast paced digtial word. Thus far I have managed not to cover it in nail polish art and stickers, but it is only a matter of time.

 

Design from Nicotinequeen. 

At the minute I am taking some time off from work to write this post and watch “Made In Chelsea” ( yes I am one of those people) as I am leaving my current job next week so just typing up some protocols. It’s only when you have to put everything down do you realise how much you have learnt. Goodtimes huh?

Anyways my lovelies, I do hope that you are well and I will leave you with a few funnies, because this is my blog, that’s why.

 

I feels ya.

If ever a picture ever summed me up

 

It’s this! Malaprop people unite.

We all have a tale to tell kid.

 

Bit of trivia for you, I used to play flute. Toot.

 

Cheerio BP Xx