Mens Undergarments 1500-1900

Drawers Men’s undergarments are a bit easier to get a grasp of (hence the single page). By the Renaissance men were wearing woven versions of both boxers and briefs (braies). By the Eighteenth century these had elongated to reach just below the knee (just like the men’s breeches) and were simply called drawers. They closed just like the trousers of the era, with either a button fly, or a frontfall, and they buttoned at the knee. Some men didn’t bother with drawers, they just tucked their shirttails over and under and called it a day. By the Victorian era trousers had replaced breeches, and men’s drawers also got longer (sometimes reaching the ankle). The Union Suit made its appearance in the1890s (before which, some men wore a kind of chemise under their shirt, a layer of knit wool or cotton for warmth). Past Patterns (which specializes in patterns for taken from extant examples) has a pattern for men’s drawers (short Regency era ones and long Victorian ones).		Extant 16th century underpants.
		Extant men's drawers, c. mid-19th century.
Open frontfall. Extant trousers, c. 1820	Getting His Pants Off During the Renaissance men’s pants closed with either buttons, ties, or hook and eyes, with the cod piece covering the closure. From about 1600 on, pants buttoned closed in the front. When waistcoats and coats shortened in the late 1700s the closure was hidden by a flap that buttoned on either side like a bib (called a narrow fall or later, a broadfall as it widened). By the Victorian era men had returned to the classic front button fly which still endures today. If you want to see some photos of reproductions made for films where the falls are obvious, check out the men’s fashion page on Jessamyn’s Regency Costume Companion (ok, so we’re basically checking out the packages of Hugh Grant and Greg Wise . . . sue me). For a more in-depth look at men's undergarments throughout history I highly recommend The History of Underclothes by Cunnington, which is readily available (and cheap).
Close up of Hugh Grant's costume from Sense and Sensibility.

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Child’s IQ, lifespan depends on month of birth--study

Moms-to-be wishing for a healthy and smart baby should consider planning the time of child’s arrival, as a new study suggests that month of birth can determine everything from length of life to intelligence.

According to the researchers, babies born in spring (March, April, or May) are more vulnerable to a host of illnesses like asthma, autism, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Also, spring kids are less smart and have a shorter lifespan as compared to their classmates born in autumn season, the study found.

The present study findings back previous U.S. research which found that those born in autumn live 160 days longer than those born in spring, the Daily Mail reports.

Wondering why? Scientists believe many of these differences can be understood by mother’s exposure to sunlight during pregnancy.

Sunlight is known to trigger vitamin D production in body, and a lack of this vitamin in first few months of the newborn can have long lasting effects on mental and physical health.

Can your birth month affect your health?
The study, presented at the ongoing Cheltenham Science Festival in UK, revealed that kids born in between April and June had shorter lives than those who were born in October, November, and December.

Researchers further linked child’s season of birth with multiple sclerosis (MS), with the greatest risk seen in inhabitants of northern latitudes, where sunlight is scarce.

For instance, in Scotland, April babies are 50 percent more likely to develop MS than those born in November.
Professor George Ebers, an Oxford University expert on seasons and health, said, “You should probably be aiming for a November birth if you live in Scotland.”

Interestingly, scientists dubbed April as the cruelest month as babies born in this month are more likely to suffer from alcohol abuse, asthma, low IQ, Parkinson’s, eating disorders, MS, autism, diabetes, etc.

Similarly, infants born in spring months were likelier to have asthma, Crohn’s disease, and schizophrenia.

Study findings remarkable--experts
Professor Russell Foster, an Oxford University neuroscientist and expert on seasonal biology, said the conclusions were ‘surprising and remarkable’.

He added, “These are small effects but they are very, very clear. I am not giving voice to astrology – it’s nonsense – but we are not immune to seasonal interference.”

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First sex change in 1950 when George became Christine

There are a number of species of fish that are able to change their gender. Male fish often take care of the young but in the gender-adapting fish the leading male will change into a female when a larger male moves into the group. The gender change takes between 4 and 10 days. If the larger male moves on again the other one will change gender again. It is thought that the male great white shark also changes gender when it gets older, possibly as a way to ensure the life of the species.

Not much such luck if you’re an ugly bloke without a job and think you might do better as a woman. Gender-changing operations are expensive. Rather keep looking for a job. After all, there are some guys who have made a lot of money even though they’re ugly.

The first successful human sex change took place in 1950 when Danish doctor Christian Hamburger changed GI New Yorker George William Jorgensen into Christine Jorgensen. It was not the first such operation: in 1930, German doctor Magnus Hirschfeld removed the testicles of Einar Mogens Wegener, who would become Lili Elbe. Further operations were performed by Dr. Kurt Warnekros in attempt to transplant ovaries and a uterus but Lili’s body rejected the transplants and she died in 1931. It is important to note that Lili was intersexual, meaning she had both male and female biological characteristics. [didyouknow.org]

See: First sex change in 1950 when George became Christine

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Babies with delicate tattoos

Babies with delicate tattoos

Many people will be surprised why this baby can tolerate the pain when dozens of tattoos tattoos.

Actually, this particular baby was created by artist Jason Clay Lewis. Material for making babies include: plastic rubber, felt fabric, plaster, oil paint … art work, called Baby Drill was inspired by the famous oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. That is why that this baby is like a tattoo pelican even the Virgin Mary on his body.

Some pictures of unique tattoos on this baby:

Babies with delicate tattoos

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