Castle Aching

[drduncan]

On 04/07/2023 at 22:16, Nearholmer said:

Millinery madness.

 

The Jarvis Brook Chapter of the Mothers Union take a break from producing sons for the empire to ready themselves for unarmed combat against moral turpitude (which is mostly used for cleaning paintbrushes). 1910.

 

 

 

Moral turpitude is for dealing with absolutely filthy brushes, but it’s overkill for just slightly soiled or mildly dirty ones .

Duncan 

[drduncan]

On 05/07/2023 at 17:30, Edwardian said:

And, yes, pretty much everything you've been told is a lie. 

I certainly find that’s correct regarding the Air Force view of history….

D

[drduncan]

On 05/07/2023 at 17:30, Edwardian said:

Oh don't start on the Great Corset Fallacy, as propagated by, no doubt well-meaning, but essentially historically illiterate, modern feminists and idiots like Netflix.

 

I have a daughter passionate about historical costumes, so I am well-schooled on the subject. And, yes, pretty much everything you've been told is a lie. 

 

So:

 

(1) While there are, particularly in more modern times, some women of sufficiently modest proportions that breast support is not such an issue, I am reliably informed that many women have a need for support in this area and, further, that those who don't are not best-placed to judge the benefits of corsetry! Which brings me to:

 

(2) Corsets, and before them, stays, are primarily foundation garments necessary for support. As such, they are not a bad option and may be a better option for some than modern mass-produced bras, which, after all, place all the load on the shoulders.  

 

(3) Corsets are not an infliction of the patriarchy. We probably do the women of the past a great disservice if we assume that their fashions and sartorial choices were dictated by men rather than by them themselves. After all, corsets answer a uniquely female need for support and comfort not especially well understood by men.  

 

(4) Corsets' relationship to fashion has been misunderstood and greatly distorted. We can all think of modern fashion trends, which, if taken to extremes, are deleterious to health. The episodes of tight-lacing of corsets by a small number of Victorian fashionistas should not be taken as representative of how most women wore corsets for most of the time; which brings me to:

 

(5) In fashion terms, corsets were about attaining a fashionable shape. Note, shape, not size. We are familiar with an example that falls within our period, the shift in outline that occurred from 1906. The fashionable shape is attained more by padding than lacing and can been seen on women of varying sizes. Size was not important, shape was. In contrast, today women are put under pressure to achieve certain shapes and sizes, not through clothing, but by altering their bodies. Sometimes this involves starving and sometimes surgery. I can't help but wonder if using a carefully constructed foundation garment, tailored here, padded out there, is a healthier option. 

 

(6) Bone is actually a rather good and relatively flexible material for use in corsets.

 

(7) I am informed that there is little you cannot do in a corset. They are not restrictive if properly made and fitted. They allow a full range of movement required in everyday life. This is because they are a support garment, not a device of bodily constraint. While there were corsets specifically sold for use when exercising, enterprising Youtubers have demonstrated that a lady can, should she wish, fight in a corset! 

 

While seeking to understand cultural history methodologies (and what a good cultural history looked like) I was lucky enough to be encouraged to study an illuminating history of the corset.

D

[Compound2632]

22 minutes ago, drduncan said:

 an illuminating history of the corset.

 

Didn't we have that Chinese lady with the illuminated corsets on here a while back?

[Schooner]

37 minutes ago, drduncan said:

Air Force view of history

They've got one? Bless!

 

Takes a Senior Service to have History.

 

Schooner (whose view is totally unaffected by being the sole seafarer in a family of flyboys and Sappers)

Edited July 11, 2023 by Schooner

[drduncan]

13 minutes ago, Schooner said:

They've got one? Bless!

 

Takes a Senior Service to have History.

 

Schooner (whose view is totally unaffected by being the sole seafarer in a family of flyboys and Sappers)

I’ve always thought of various air forces as having a rather monkish outlook on history  - they only have habits.

[Annie]

6 hours ago, Schooner said:

..I have used them plenty and if it was one's sole motivation, such an approach could be as simple as

 

 

of desired size and a bearing of the same diameter (of cone).

I have used these when I was still capable of fairly intrepid feats of engineering.  They terrified me then and they terrify me even more now.

When I made my first attempt at a turntable when i was 14 I used a handheld fretsaw which was definitely a lot less damaging to my general state of calm.

[Nearholmer]

Very quiet in CA. Everyone OK?

[Northroader]

I think our hero has gone to Paintham Green.

[Edwardian]

More like going west.

 

However, after weeks of intermittent illness, exhaustion, stress and a diagnosis of we don't want to let you have any antibiotices it's probably a virus*, I decided to Take Matters in Hand and like those three men and their dog before me, mount an expedition into the Wilds as a kill or cure for seediness.

 

Thus, on Friday, I shall head North for an 8-day walking tour. Should this prove to be a fatal mistake, it's been great knowing you all.

 

 

* a virus is what we doctors call anything we cannot diagnose**

** i.e. an increasing number of increasingly common ailments

[Nearholmer]

ah, well, I’m not sure whether to treat the last part as good news (well enough to try) or bad, but at least there’s a cheerfully camp song to go west with, and some sturdy hiking songs for going north with. Sing up!

Edited July 26, 2023 by Nearholmer

[Schooner]

3 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

there’s a cheerfully camp song to go with it.

...and, at a slight stretch, a delightful railway...

 

Fair winds, James.

[Edwardian]

2 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

 at least there’s a cheerfully camp song to go west with

 

Yes, indeedy!

 

 

[Nearholmer]

I was actually thinking of Village People, but the iconography in that video makes it worthwhile.

 

Or, you could get Scots, and swing along with hiking song, on the high road winding west. I would post a video of Andy Stewart, but I honestly don’t think that would help anybody.

 

 

Edited July 26, 2023 by Nearholmer

[Northroader]

 

Edited July 27, 2023 by Northroader

[Edwardian]

2 minutes ago, Northroader said:

north korea i want to break free

 

In the meantime ...

 

 

 

[Compound2632]

I'm confused. Are Scotland and North Korea being equated here?

 

Light relief at a bargain price:

 

[Donw]

A walking tour sounds ideal. I remember walking up Snowdon I had been listening to Holst and my walk was accompanied by Mars running through my head most stirring and helped to keep going. I am sure a break from work and daily life will be good. 

 

Don 

[Northroader]

Curses! Beaten on the draw again! A noble ambition, but seriously, how much walking have you done? are your feet acclimatised? what sort of distances are you planning? you're not carrying more than a day sack? North, Scotland in August, midges?

 Signed, Most concerned of RWB.

[brumtb]

God speed you on your expedition James.

With all good wishes

Tony

[jcredfer]

Enjoy

 

Best wishes

 

 

[Donw]

2 hours ago, Northroader said:

Curses! Beaten on the draw again! A noble ambition, but seriously, how much walking have you done? are your feet acclimatised? what sort of distances are you planning? you're not carrying more than a day sack? North, Scotland in August, midges?

 Signed, Most concerned of RWB.

 

I agree, it should be pleasant walking  not a route march,  with time to stop here and there to enjoy the view or have refreshments. Of course if he takes the dogs they may have other ideas. Our previous Dog succumbed to cancer of the liver we now have a tiny thing less than 4Kg but no slouch I have had to speed up to keep up with him.

 

Don

[monkeysarefun]

5 hours ago, Edwardian said:

 

In the meantime ...

 

 

 

 

 

Whats going on with the world?! ?

 

Communist North Korea is full of happy singing folk while the light-on-the-hill that is the US of A is a dystopian Orwellian nightmare if the latest Donald Trump approved ad is to be beleived...

 

 

 

 

The premise does fall down a little bit when you consider that the "Government" that organised the "false-flag"  January 6th event was still actually under the wing of Donald Trump. Less golfing, more watching what his government was up to ,    I  reckon.)

[Nearholmer]

11 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Whats going on with the world?! ?

Climate crisis.

 

Its freaking everyone out, even the most vehement deniers of it, so we are in the grip of a sort of unfocused, frequently displacement-based, anxiety/panic.

 

Well, that’s my take on it.

[monkeysarefun]

13 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

Climate crisis.

 

Its freaking everyone out, even the most vehement deniers of it, so we are in the grip of a sort of unfocused, frequently displacement-based, anxiety/panic.

 

Well, that’s my take on it.

But a t least the cricket hasn't been rained off yet.