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Riding boot
Riding boots are boots made to be used for horseback riding. The classic boot comes high enough up the leg to prevent the leathers of the saddle from pinching the leg of the rider, has a sturdy toe to protect the rider's foot when on the ground, and has a distinct heel to prevent the foot from sliding through the stirrup. The sole is smooth or lightly textured to avoid being caught on the tread of the stirrup in the event of a fall. The modern riding boot is relatively low-heeled, with a heel of less than one inch, though historically a higher heel was common, as it has always been critically important for riding boots to prevent the foot from slipping through the stirrup. Today, only some styles of cowboy boot retain a higher heel than other modern riding boots.  There are a number of different styles of riding boots, intended for different styles of riding, from horse shows, to pleasure riding. Tall boots, which end just below the knee of the rider, include field, dress, and hunt boots. These are standard show apparel, worn by all competitors in the hunter/jumper and dressage disciplines. A lower, paddock boot that stops just above the ankle, is worn by children, by some show competitors in the UK, Australia, and by those that show Saddle seat. Field boots: have lacing at the ankle, which allows for some give so the rider is more comfortable riding with the highly flexed ankle that develops from the shorter stirrup length required for work over fences. Therefore, field boots are preferred in all jumping disciplines, including Hunt seat equitation, show jumping, fox hunting, and both jumping phases in eventing. They are also worn by police officers riding motorcycles or on mounted patrols, and by some police agencies as part of their "Class A" uniform or with ceremonial mounted units. The majority of field boots are black, although brown-colored boots may also be purchased.[1] Dress boots: do not have lacing at the ankle, and are generally stiffer. They are worn by dressage riders, eventers in the dressage phase, and at formal fox hunts. They are also worn by riders of show jumpers. Dress boots are traditionally black in color.[1] A recent fad is dress boots for dressage that are cut to go extra high on the outside of the knee. Paddock style black leather boots, well worn.Hunt boots, or Top boots: like the dress boot, except it has a "cuff" at the top. The boot is usually black, with a tan cuff (traditional for male riders). It is appropriate for fox hunting.[1] Half chaps worn over paddock boots duplicate the protection and visual line of a tall bootPaddock boots, also known as Jodhpur boots, are short boots that come just above the ankle, used most often for pleasure riding and everyday use.[1] They are also required for Saddle seat style riding[2] and are frequently worn by children when showing in hunt seat disciplines because they are less costly for rapidly-growing children than are tall boots. They are sometimes combined with half chaps, a type of gaiter also known as chapettes, for added protection or to give the visual impression of a tall boot. The lace-up style is primarily seen in hunt seat riding, whereas the elastic-sided Chelsea boot design is seen in both hunt seat and saddle seat disciplines. The elastic side boot is also commonly used in Australia as a riding boot and dress boot. They are part of the required attire in Australian Stock Horse turnout competitions and for Pony Club riding. Heavier versions, such as Blundstone boots, are made for general work and gardening but are not suitable for riding owing to their heavy, deep-grooved soles. Field boots (and many paddock boots) have an extra layer of leather on the toe, called a toe cap. All styles have somewhat tapered, round toes. Current styles include zip-on boots, with a zipper running down the back of the calf of a tall boot or the front of a paddock boot, making them easier to put on and remove without aid of boot hooks or a boot jack. Brown tall boots (field or dress) were somewhat more common before World War II, when the English riding habit lost popularity outside of formal and/or horse show events. The U.S. Army, whose officers had worn high brown boots until the 1930s, abandoned the practice in wartime. For a time, some show sanctioning organizations did not allow brown boots, considering them to be casual attire, although the rule has relaxed somewhat. Posted by qualitydress AT 11/19/2008 10:48 AM | 0 comments | post a comment | digg it Chelsea boots Chelsea Boots (also known as dealer boots) are tight-fitting, ankle-high boots of the Victorian era associated with horse riding, which became fashionable again in the early 1960s. The most notable feature of the Chelsea boot is its elastic siding, running from the heel to the top of the shoe. The design began as a type of riding boots known as paddock boots or jodhpur boots. Paddock boots, also called jodhpur boots, were a predecessor to Chelsea boots.Chelsea boots were considered an element of the 1960s mod scene. Their popularity is often attributed in part to musicians such as The Beatles (who wore what became known as Beatle boots) and The Rolling Stones, who primarily wore Chelsea-style boots with Cuban heels. A similar boot is the heavier Blundstone boot, which is popular in Australia.  One source states that Charles Goodyear's discovery of vulcanised rubber enabled Sparkes-Hall, bootmaker to Queen Victoria, to invent the elastic gusset boot in 1837. The advantage of elasticated boots meant they could be easily removed and put on again, which appealed to busier and more demanding lifestyle of Victorian women. By the late 1840s, the fashion began to catch on. This became a prominent style in the West until the onset of World War I. They have recently become in fashion again amongst men as casual boots. The boots were featured in the first three Star Wars films, worn by the stormtroopers of the Empire. The stormtrooper boots were standard black Chelsea boots which were stained white (50 pairs of boots were ordered) Posted by qualitydress AT 11/19/2008 10:46 AM | 0 comments | post a comment | digg it Winklepickers Winklepickers (also known as Winkle Pickers) are a style of shoe or boot worn from the 1950s onward by male and female British rock and roll fans. The feature which gives both the boot and shoe their name is the very sharp and quite long pointed toe, reminiscent of medieval footwear and approximately the same as the long pointed toes on some women's fashion shoes and boots today. This pointed toe was called the winkle picker toe because, in England, winkles are eaten with a pin or pointed object to get the winkle out of the shell (hence the term "to winkle something out"). Winklepicker shoes were a conspicuous contrast to the Creepers worn by Teddy Boys. The male shoes were lace-up Oxford style with a low heel and an exaggerated pointed toe. A Chelsea Boot style (elastic-sided with a two-inch, and later as much as two and one half inch, Cuban heel was notably worn by the Beatles, but although it had a pointed toe, was not considered to be a Winklepicker. Winklepicker shoes from Stan's of Battersea were also worn by the Teddy Girls as well as being a fleeting fashion for young women generally. In the early 1960s the winklepicker toe was popular with modernists, the forerunners of the mods. In the early 1960's the point was effectively chopped off (they hung on for longer than that in the UK) and gave rise to the "chisel toe" on the footwear of both genders. However, winklepickers with traditional sharp-point styles made a comeback of sorts in the late 1970s and early 1980s (either as previously unworn old-stock, second-hand originals, or contemporary-production attempted copies) when they were sold at London indoor markets like Kensington Market and Chelsea's Great Gear Market and worn by several subculture groups including Mods, Rockabillies, Punks, Rock'n'Roll Revivalists, and in the goth scene, where they are known as "pikes". Winklepickers with stiletto heels for women swept the UK in the late fifties and at one stage the High Street versions were worn by virtually all the female English population who wore high heeled shoes. They were often manufactured in Italy, but the handmade versions, notably those from Stan's Shoes of Battersea were the most extreme, if somewhat bulky-looking at the toe compared with the Italian styles. The original 1960s winkle picker stilettos were similar to the long pointed toe which has been fashionable on women's shoes and boots in Europe of late. The long sharp toe was always teamed with a stiletto heel (or spike heel) which, as today, could be as low as one and a half inches or as high as five inches, though most were in the three to four inch range. The stiletto heels on the original 1960s styles were, however, much more curved-in at the rear (also sometimes sharply-waisted and slightly flared out at the top piece) than most of the recent pointy-toed fashion shoes, which often have straighter, thicker, more set-back heels, rather at odds with the look of the pointed toe. In most cases, too, the modern shoe toes lack the length of the true 1960s winklepicker, and bear more resemblance to the less pointed mass-produced versions of the era. They attained some notoriety, when they first appeared, as a result of being worn in gang fights (sometimes by both sexes) though it seems that contemporary newspaper reports of such clashes were, as ever, sensationalised flights of the imagination on the part of bored journalists with nothing better to write about. In fact, although the Winklepicker looks lethal, it would be far more likely for damage to be caused to the delicately pointed shoe than to the opponent in any serious kicking incident, and it would be highly unlikely that a fashion-conscious person of the 1960s would have subjected a prized pair of expensive Italian imports or custom-made Stan's originals to this sort of abuse. There seems also to have been a practice, among increasingly liberated and forward young women, of using the pointed toes of their footwear to surprise and perhaps embarrass their male partners by prodding their private parts under tables in public places. Thus effectively turning the historical tables, as in the 14th and 15th century, long pointed male footwear called poulaines or Cracowes were allegedly used to do the same to females! A practice that was also allegedly revisited by some males wearing winklepickers. Winklepicker boots are very popular among the modern Vogue Goth and Punk sub-cultures. They are worn by many band members, such as the members of Kings of Leon, The Horrors, Neils Children, Klaxons and My Passion. They are also worn by English comedian Noel Fielding; English DJ and TV presenter Alex Zane; and Kaiser Chiefs' lead singer: Ricky Wilson. Although slightly pointed toes are often a feature of women's fashion shoes, they are usually nowadays "tamed down" or shortened (often with a sacrifice of comfortable toe space) for a more common appeal. The really extended Winklepicker toe stiletto-heeled shoe for women has been reintroduced most recently by English shoe designers Roger and Sarah Adams for their Italian-made RoSa Shoes collection http://www.rosashoes.com which aims to satisfy a perceived continuing niche market rather than following seasonal fashion trends. The shoes have extremely thin medium or high steel-stemmed stiletto heels, authentically curved in at the rear, and winklepicker toes extending some three inches beyond the foot. Posted by qualitydress AT 11/19/2008 10:43 AM | 0 comments | post a comment | digg it Kinky boots Kinky boots are boots with extreme characteristics which are intended to present a dramatic sexy appearance, such as by a prostitute or dominatrix. Extreme characteristics might include very high heels, thigh- or crotch-high length, or unusual colors or materials. They can be related to boot fetishism, a kind of shoe fetishism which thus make them a form of fetish clothing. The term is ambiguous, since what can be considered kinky by some can be seen as elegant fashion by others. Boots of this type, and specifically the thigh-high leather boots worn by Honor Blackman in her role as Cathy Gale in The Avengers, are referred to in the 1964 song "Kinky Boots" by Honor Blackman and Patrick Macnee. Usually, nowadays the term is connected to the type of thigh-high boots used e.g. by Julia Roberts in the movie Pretty Woman and by Madonna in her Re-Invention Tour in 2004.  A related term is fuck-me boots, which is, however, often used in a more tongue-in-cheek, humorous way. It is a term more common to the US. The term "kinky boots" was coined in the UK in the early 1960s when high boots, which had previously been worn in the 'underground' fetish and sadomasochistic world of the Dominatrix and her clients, broke into mainstream female fashion. The term 'sexual kink', meaning not entirely straight, was used, often in a jocular sense, to describe an unusual sexual desire that was not sufficiently deviant to attract the word perversion. Since men who were attracted to women in boots, which symbolised power, were heterosexual, the term kinky was applied to them, rather than pervert, which at that time mainly implied homosexuality. The term thus became applied to the boots that were worn by women because of their previous association with S&M. The original "Kinky Boots" were calf to knee length pull on black leather boots with 3-4 inch heels and pointed toes. This was the kind of boot worn by Honor Blackman (Cathy Gale) and Diana Rigg (Emma Peel) in the original "Avengers" television series; Honor Blackman and Patrick McNee (John Steed) cut a single record called "Kinky Boots" which became a Top 5 UK charts' hit in 1990, 27 years after its original release. "Kinky boot beasts" make a brief appearance in the Sea of Monsters sequence in the 1968 Beatles' movie Yellow Submarine. The boots were soon available in other colours, white being popular, and all heel heights. Later, from the mid '60s onwards, the stiletto went out of fashion and calf and even thigh boots with lower thick heels or even flat heels came into fashion. These made it across the 'pond' to the states and were called "go-go boots" in the US; however in the UK they were mostly still called "Kinky Boots" and the term was still being applied to the high-heeled platform boot, a popular fashion item of the 1970s. Posted by qualitydress AT 11/19/2008 10:39 AM | 0 comments | post a comment | digg it Current American combat boots As the United States Marine Corps transitioned from the BDU to the MCCUU, they discarded shined black combat boots, and switched to more functional tan rough-out (non-shine) combat boots, with either hot weather or temperate weather versions. Commercial versions of this boot are authorized without limitation other than they must be at least 8 inches in height and bear the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor on the outer heel of each boot. The United States Army followed suit in 2002 with the introduction of the Army Combat Uniform, which also switched to tan rough-out combat boots, called the Army Combat Boot, and moisture wicking socks.[3][1] Commercial versions of this boot are authorized without limitation other than they must be at least 8 inches in height and are no longer authorized to have a 'shoe-like' appearance.[17] Two versions exist, a 2.5lb temperate weather boot, and a 2lb hot weather (desert) boot.[1] Current manufacturers are Altama, Bates, Belleville, McRae, Rocky and Wellco. The US Air Force uses a foliage green suede combat boot with its Airman Battle Uniform, although a tan version is authorized until 2011, when the green boot will become mandatory. In 2006, the British Army elected to replace both the "combat assault boots" that were in general service and the desert boots issued for operations. They conducted trials in Iraq, Afghanistan and Cyprus during autumn of 2007, and are now issuing new boots made by Meindl and Lowa (including boots specially designed for women's feet) for operational purposes.[20] [21] British soldiers still use the CAB for combat training and general service although privately purchased boots are often deemed acceptable as long as they are made of black leather. The Guards Regiments in the Household Division still use modified Ammunition boots. The Boots being primarily made of leather can be brought to a high shine for the ceremonial purpose, although the boots used as every-day military footwear, tend to be left comparatively dull, but clean. See image comparison below where drill purpose boots are on the left, and daily use, on the right. The first true modern combat boots, officially called the "Boots, Service, Combat M-1943 (Double Buckle)," were issued with the M-1943 Uniform Ensemble during World War II.[4][5] They were modified service shoes, with an extended, rough-out or, more commonly, a smooth leather high-top cuff added.[4] The cuff was closed using two buckles, allowing the boots to replace the existing service shoes and leggings worn by most soldiers with a more convenient and practical solution.[4] The boots, and the service shoes they were made from, had a one piece sole and heel, made from molded synthetic or reclaimed rubber.[5][4][6] These "double buckle" boots were worn through the Korean War and were issued at the beginning of the Vietnam War. The 1917 Trench Boot was an adaptation of the boots American manufacturers were selling to the French and Belgian armies at the beginning of World War I. In American service, it replaced the Russet Marching Shoe. The boot was made of tanned cowhide with a half middle sole covered by a full sole. Iron plates were fixed to the heel. It was a great improvement, however it lacked waterproofing. It soon evolved into the 1918 Trench Boot, also called the Pershing Boot after General John Pershing, who oversaw its creation. It used heavier leather in its construction, and had several minor changes from the 1917 Boot. Digital Thermometer Hygrometer Posted by qualitydress AT 11/19/2008 10:36 AM | 0 comments | post a comment | digg it Keffiyeh The keffiyeh (Arabic: ??????, kufiyyah, plural ??????, kufiyyat)), also known as a (ya)shmagh (from Turkish: yasmak "tied thing"), ghutrah (????), ?a??ah (????) or mashadah (????) is a traditional headdress for Arab men made of a square of cloth (“scarf”), usually cotton, folded and wrapped in various styles around the head. It is commonly found in arid climate areas to provide protection from direct sun exposure, as well as for occasional use in protecting the mouth and eyes from blown dust and sand.[citation needed] Its distinctive woven check pattern originated in an ancient Mesopotamian representation of either fishing nets or ears of grain.  Many Palestinian keffiyeh are a mix of cotton and wool, which lets them dry quickly and keep the wearer’s head warm. The keffiyeh is usually folded in half, into a triangle, and the fold is worn across the forehead. Often, the keffiyeh is held in place by a rope circlet, called an agal (Arabic: ?????, ?iqal). Some wearers wrap the keffiyeh into a turban, while others wear it loosely draped around the back and shoulders. Sometimes a taqiyah (cap) is worn underneath the keffiyeh, and, in the past, it has also been wrapped around the rim of the fez. The keffiyeh is almost always of white cotton cloth, but many have a checkered pattern in red or black stitched into them. The plain, white keffiyeh is most popular in the Gulf states, almost excluding any other style in Kuwait and Bahrain. The black-and-white keffiyeh is a symbol of Palestinian heritage. The red-and-white keffiyeh is worn throughout these regions as well as in Somalia, but is most strongly associated with Jordan, where it is known as shmagh mhadab. The Jordanian keffiyeh has cotton decorative strings on the sides. It is believed that the bigger these strings, the more value it has and the higher a person’s status. It has been used by Bedouins throughout the centuries and was used as a symbol of honour and tribal identification.[citation needed] The keffiyeh, especially the all-white version, can also be called a gutrah, particularly in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain (where the skullcap is confusingly called keffiyeh), but is also known in some areas as shmagh or ?a??ah. Traditionally worn by Palestinian peasants, the keffiyeh became a symbol of Palestinian nationalism during the Arab Revolt of the 1930s.[2][3] Its prominence increased in the 1960 with the beginning of the Palestinian resistance movement and its adoption by Arafat.[2] The keffiyeh would later become a trademark symbol of Yasser Arafat, who was rarely seen without his peculiarly arranged black-and-white scarf (only occasionally did he sport a military cap or, in colder climates, a Russian-style fur hat or Ushanka). Arafat would wear his keffiyeh in semi-traditional manner, around the head and wrapped by an agal, but he also wore a similarly patterned piece of cloth in the neckline of his military fatigues. Early on, he had made it his personal trademark to drape the scarf over his right shoulder only and arranging it in the rough shape of a triangle, so resembling the outlines of the territory claimed by Palestine. This manner of wearing the keffiyeh in turn became a symbol of Arafat as a person and political leader, and it has not been imitated by other Palestinian leaders. Another Palestinian figure associated with the keffiyeh is Leila Khaled, a female member of the armed wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Several photographs of Khaled circulated in the Western newspapers after the hijacking of TWA Flight 840 and the Dawson’s Field hijackings. These often included Khaled wearing a keffiyeh in the style of a Muslim woman’s hijab, wrapped around the head and shoulders. This was unusual, as the keffiyeh is associated with Arab masculinity, and many believe this to be something of a fashion statement by Khaled, denoting her equality with men in the Palestinian armed struggle. The colors of the stitching in a keffiyeh are also vaguely associated with Palestinians’ political sympathies. Black and white keffiyehs are associated with Fatah, while red and white keffiyehs are associated with Hamas, and were historically associated with the PFLP and other leftist groups.[2][4][5] While widely known, this color symbolism is by no means universally accepted by all Palestinians, and its importance should not be overstated — red or black-and-white scarves are used by Palestinians of all political stripes, as well as by those with no particular political sympathies. This symbol of Palestinian identity is now largely imported from China, in 2008 Yasser Hirbawi who for five decades had been the only Palestinian manufacturer of keffiyehs told Reuters that “Two years ago I had to close down my factory because I couldn’t compete with Chinese-made Hattas (keffiyehs) that sell for 40 percent less.” Posted by qualitydress AT 11/17/2008 9:41 PM | 0 comments | post a comment | digg it Types of Sombreros The Quinciano is the most commercially available Sombrero Vueltiao and also the cheapest. These hats are made in just three days, are loosely woven together, and only use fifteen pairs of caña flecha strips to make the weave. The Diecinueve, as the name suggests, uses nineteen pairs of caña flecha strips to produce a finer braid that will result in a softer and finer sombrero. They can take up to a week to produce by hand. The Veintiuno uses twenty-one pairs of caña flecha strands per weave and is finer than the Quinciano and the Diecinueve. These hats are usually custom-made to order and take ten to fifteen days to produce by hand. The Veintitres is made of twenty-three pairs of caña flecha strips. The Veintitres, like the Veintiuno, is very fine and notably softer and lighter than its predecessors. It takes from twelve to twenty days to make this sombrero from scratch.. The Veintisiete are the finest sombreros available and use twenty-seven pairs of caña flecha. They can be folded up and put in a pocket without being damaged. The weave is very dense, and is soft to the touch. The Veintisiete is the most expensive sombrero vueltiao and can take up to a month to produce by hand. The sombrero vueltiao is no longer just for Colombian peasants, as its popularity has sharply risen. The increase in demand has also increased the price, such that the original farmers can no longer afford some of the finer hats. The sombrero has also become an admired and appreciated work of art appreciated both by Colombians and foreigners. Most of these handmade hats are produced by entire Zenú families located in the Departments of Cordoba and Sucre. This iconic symbol of Colombia has been sported by hundreds of personalities, including Pope John Paul II when he visited Colombia in 1986, and former President of the United States Bill Clinton when he visited Cartagena, Colombia in August of 2000. Posted by qualitydress AT 11/17/2008 9:33 PM | 0 comments | post a comment | digg it History of turbans Humans have been wearing cloth on their heads since the invention of cloth. Texts and art that survive from many past cultures mention turbans. The Vedas contain references to turbans being worn in Vedic India.[2] The ancient Persians wore a conical cap sometimes encircled by bands of cloth. It is believed that the Arabs of the time of Muhammad, the Islamic prophet, wore Umamah (Arabic: ??????). They were very useful for fending off the desert sand and protecting the head and face from very high temperatures and strong sunlight. When the great Islamic empires were established, under the first four caliphs, the Umayyads, and the Abbasids, the new rulers wore Umamah. Head wraps then diffused to populations under Islamic rule, even in countries where they were not previously worn.  Probably the largest-ever Turbans were worn by high-ranking Turks of the Ottoman period, including soldiers. These were enormous round turbans, wrapped around a hollow cone or framework, that often projected at the top. Hence they were called "Sarik", meaning "wrapped". From the 19th century the Turks mostly gave up the turban for the fez at the same time as they abandoned their kaftan tunics for more Western dress. Broad-rimmed Western hats did not meet the Islamic requirement that the forehead touch the ground during prayer and the Sultan issued a decree enforcing the wearing of the fez, applicable to all religious groups. Suleiman the Magnificent was renowned for the size of his turban. Many contemporary images show European men of the Middle Ages and Renaissance wearing headgear that looks like turbans. These hats are actually chaperons, which could look very similar. [3] Men in Europe were expected to take off their headgear in church, and in the presence of a person of much higher rank, like a king. This is not easy with a turban. Turbans also appear in European religious art, especially in scenes picturing the Holy Land, then inhabited by turban-wearers. Turbans did not become a regular part of European headgear until the late 17th century. Men then shaved their heads and wore heavy wigs; when relaxing at home, they removed the wigs and covered their heads with caps or sometimes turbans. European women wore a wide variety of headdresses, some of which appear to be wrapped scarves or occasionally turbans. In the late 18th century and early 19th, turbans became fashionable headgear for women. [5] The first recorded use of the English word "turban" for a Western female headdress is in 1776 (OED). As with all styles, they have waxed and waned in popularity. Later Victorians wore wrapped toques; turbans were fashionable in the early 20th century. [6] , [7]. The French couturier Poiret was known for his Orientalist designs featuring turbans. Turbans were fashionable in the 1940s and 1950s [8], [9]; one name given them was cache-misère (French, "hide misery"), a chic solution to a bad-hair day. [10] After a precipitous decline in hat-wearing during the 1960s, turbans are now rather rarely seen on women in the Western World. Posted by qualitydress AT 11/17/2008 9:28 PM | 0 comments | post a comment | digg it Ushanka An ushanka (???´???) Russian pronunciation: [u'?ank?] is a Russian fur cap with ear flaps that can be tied up to the crown of the cap, or tied at the chin to protect the ears from the cold. In the English-speaking world, it is referred to as a shapka (?á??a), from the Russian language word for "hat".[1] Ushanka literally translates as "ear-flaps hat", from "ushi" (?´??), "ears" in Russian. Though ushankas are a distinctly Russian hat (indeed, the stereotypical Russian is seen to wear one) the wearing of fur caps of similar design was relatively common throughout China, North Korea, Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.  Ushankas are also seen in American cities during cold winter months, especially in cities that have a sizeable East European immigrant population. Ushankas are common part of the winter uniforms of police forces and militaries in countries with cold climates, such as Russia and Poland. Ushankas are often made from cheap sheepskin (tsigeyka, ru:???????), rabbit or muskrat fur, though artificial fur hats are also manufactured. Artificial fur has sometimes been referred to as "fish fur"[2] since the material has no relation to any real fur. The simplest "fish fur" of ushankas was made of wool pile with cloth substrate and cloth top, with the exception of flaps, in which pile was exposed. Among Russian middle class, ushankas are often made from more expensive furs like arctic fox or mink. These hats are often made purely for appearance, their ear flaps a sewn-on decoration, rather than functional element ( also called "Obmanka" ). In 1991, with the fall of the Soviet Union came the first wave of commercially imported Russian winter hats into the United States. Due to their warmth, the hats are beginning to receive some user adoption in the States. They are sometimes referred to in a slang context as "Boris" hats and "Cossack Flaps". Posted by qualitydress AT 11/17/2008 9:24 PM | 0 comments | post a comment | digg it Turban The turban (from Persian ????? or ??????, dulband via the Turkish tülbent) is a headdress consisting of a long scarf-like single piece of cloth wound around either the head itself or an inner hat. The word "turban" is a common umbrella term, loosely used in English to refer to several sorts of head wrap. In Western countries, men wearing turbans in public are likely to be Sikhs, whose religion requires them to cover their long uncut hair.  In Hindi, a turban is called a pag?i (?????) or safa (?????). Sikhs often call it dastar (pronounced dastar (?????)), a distinctive and more respectful Punjabi word for a Sikh 'turban'. The word dastar (pronounced destar in Turkish) is also used in the Mevlevi order of Whirling Dervishes to refer to the turban that the leader of the Whirling Dervish ceremony wears. In Tuareg and Berber the word Tagelmust refers to the head scarf associated with the turban. Contemporary turbans come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. Middle Eastern, Central Asian, South Asian, and Sikh turban wearers usually wind their turban anew for each wearing, using long strips of cloth. The cloth is usually five meters or less. However, some elaborate South Asian turbans may be permanently formed and sewn to a foundation. Turbans can be very large or quite modest dependent upon region, culture, and religion. Turbans are worn as women's hats in Western countries. They are usually sewn to a foundation, so that they can be donned or removed easily. Now that fewer Western women wear hats they are less common. However, turbans are still worn by female cancer patients who have lost their hair to chemotherapy and wish to cover their heads. Some women use wigs; others prefer scarves and turbans. Women in many parts of Africa and the West Indies often cover their heads with intricately tied scarves which may be called scarves, head wraps, or turbans. In contrast, men of the Tuareg, Berber, Songhai, Wodaabe, Fulani and Hausa peoples of North and West Africa wear turbans, often veiling the face to deter dust. The turban is closely associated with the Sikh faith and the vast majority of people who wear turbans in Western countries are Sikhs. Those who undergo initiation, Khande di Pahul (a type of baptism) to join the Khalsa, are forbidden to cut their hair as well as non-baptised Sikhs. Such men are required to wear a turban to manage their long hair. Most baptised women also wear turbans; however, non-baptised Sikh women usually do not wear turbans. Un-initiated Sikhs are still required to leave their hair unshorn. Posted by qualitydress AT 11/17/2008 9:20 PM | 0 comments | post a comment | digg it Slouch hat This style of hat did not originate in Australia, being introduced there around 1885 and was sometimes described as a 'Tyrolean' import. A contemporary painting dated 1884 (in the regimental museum) of the pipe band of 1st Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders in service dress, crossing the veldt in Zululand, shows them wearing khaki slouch hats. Other armies rejected the once-popular headwear (as the British army did in 1905) following its popularity in the Second Boer War where it was worn by British Army units such as the City Imperial Volunteers (CIV), Imperial Yeomanry, and King Edward's Horse but brought it back during the Burma campaign in the Second World War.  The slouch hat with the brim pinned up on the right side was worn by the Schutztruppe (protection force) that was the colonial armed force of Imperial Germany from the late 1800s to 1918 when Germany lost its colonies. Different coloured puggarees were worn by the Germans in South West Africa, German East Africa, German West Africa (Togo and Cameroon) and China. The slouch hat was frequently worn throughout Africa and in motion pictures about Africa such as Jungle Jim and safari films. It became associated with the Australian military; from World War I it was manufactured in Australia by the Akubra company for the army. This slouch hat is still worn by the Australian military today. Naik Agansing Rai VC, 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force)The slouch hat or Terai hat is also associated with the Gurkha regiments of the British Army and Indian Army (formerly the British Indian Army) and is still worn by the Gurkhas; the hat is no longer worn on active service. The 2nd Gurkha Rifles became the first Gurkha regiment to adopt the slouch hat when they were issued with the Australian variant in 1901. The Gurkha terai hat is created by fusing two hats into one to make the hat more rigid and is worn at an angle, tilted to the right. The Chindits and other units of Field Marshal William Slim's British Fourteenth Army, who fought against the Japanese in the Far East during World War II, also became associated with the slouch hat (also known as the bush hat in the British Army). The slouch hat was also used by colonial units of the British Empire, including the Royal West African Frontier Force, the Canadian Yukon Field Force, Canadian Pacific Railway Militia, the Kenya Regiment and troops from Rhodesia. A Unit Colour Patch is also worn by members of the Australian Army on their Slouch Hat to indicate which unit they are from. The slouch hat was first worn by military forces in Australia in 1885 when the newly created Victorian Mounted Rifles wore the hat as part of their khaki uniform. On 22 December 1890 the Military Commanders of the then separate Australian Colonies prior to the Federation of Australia met to discuss the introduction of the khaki uniform throughout Australia. They agreed that all Australian Forces with the exception of the Artillery would wear the slouch hat. It was to be looped up on one side - Victoria and Tasmania on the right and the other colonies-later states-on the left. [1] Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel regard the slouch hat as a parade item of dress, and although army standing orders for dress allow it to be worn in the field, most soldiers do not, as it is almost a disgrace to allow it to get unnecessarily dirty. The Australian slouch hat (also know as a Hat KFF, or Hat Khaki Fur Felt) is worn with a seven band puggaree, said to represent the six states and the territories of Australia. For the Army, the hat includes the soldiers' Unit Colour Patch (right of puggaree), Corp or Regiment Hat badge (front of puggaree) and the General Service Badge (The Rising Sun, affixed on the left brim) on both the Grade 1 and Grade 2 Slouch Hats. When on ceremonial parades, e.g. ANZAC Day, the Slouch Hat is worn with the brim up (Grade 1), showing the General Service Badge on the left side. However when the soldier's dress of the day is either DPCU's or Polys, then they wear the hat with the brim flat (Grade 2). The Slouch Hat worn by the Army is one of the ADF's trademarks, but it is not theirs alone: the Royal Australian Air Force wears the HKFF with a dark blue or "Air Force Blue" Puggaree, as a Non Ceremonial head dress for the RAAF; the Royal Australian Navy is also known to wear the hat when wearing camouflage and other uniforms, and has the same features as the RAAF's HKFF. The RAAF & RAN Slouch Hats do not have unit colour patches, nor do they wear it brim up; instead the only badge worn is the RAAF or RAN cap badge, of a design appropriate to the wearer's rank, at the front of puggaree. The 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR) for their slouch hats wear a jungle green coloured puggaree with no colour patch, this dates back to traditions when serving in Malaya. Prior to the RAAF varying some of its Service Dress Uniform the RAAF also used to wear a Blue Slouch hat, with a black or blue puggaree and the Khaki for the HKFF puggaree had a blue band . Digital Thermometer Hygrometer Posted by qualitydress AT 11/17/2008 12:56 AM | 0 comments | post a comment | digg it Shtreimel A shtreimel (Yiddish: ???????, pl. ????????? shtreimlech) is a fur hat worn by many married Haredi Jewish men, particularly (although not exclusively) members of Hasidic groups, on Shabbat and during Jewish holidays and other festive occasions. In Jerusalem the shtreimel is still worn by 'Yerushalmi' Jews (non-Hasidim who belong to the original Ashkenazi community, also known as Perushim). The shtreimel comprises a large circular piece of velvet surrounded by fur. The shtreimel is generally worn only after marriage, except in many Yerushalmi communities, where boys wear it from their bar mitzvah. The most widely seen shtreimel is typically worn by the Hasidim of Galicia, Romania and Hungary and was worn by Lithuanian Jews up until the turn of the 20th century; Hasidim from Congress Poland wear a high shtreimel (often called a spodik).  The shtreimel is usually made of genuine fur, from the tips of the tails, typically from Canadian or Russian sable but also from stone marten, baum marten and American gray fox. The shtreimel is the most expensive article of Hasidic clothing, ranging in price from US$1000 to US$5400. It is possible to buy a shtreimel from synthetic fur and this is more common in Israel. Usually the bride's father purchases the shtreimel for the groom upon his wedding. Nowadays, it is customary in America to purchase two shtreimels: a cheaper version (sells for $800-1,500), called the regen shtreimel (rain shtreimel) is used for occasions where the expensive one may get damaged. In Israel, due to the economic circumstances of most members of the Hasidic community there, the vast majority of shtreimel-wearers only have one shtreimel. The manufacturers of shtreimels can be found in New York City, Montreal and in Israel. It is believed that the shtreimel is a derivative tradition based on the shaatnez prohibition. Since Hasidim originally avoided wool or linen altogether and tended to wear cotton or silk instead this meant they were less protected from the cold Eastern European weather, hence they compensated with fur. The shtreimel began as a matching item together with a fur lined coat lapel known as a 'peltz', however the peltz went into decline while the significance of the shtreimel grew. Posted by qualitydress AT 11/17/2008 12:52 AM | 0 comments | post a comment | digg it Santa Claus in popular culture By the end of the 20th century, the reality of mass mechanized production became more fully accepted by the Western public. That shift was reflected in the modern depiction of Santa's residence—now often humorously portrayed as a fully mechanized production and distribution facility, equipped with the latest manufacturing technology, and overseen by the elves with Santa and Mrs. Claus as executives and/or managers.[27] An excerpt from a 2004 article, from a supply chain managers' trade magazine, aptly illustrates this depiction:  Santa's main distribution center is a sight to behold. At 4,000,000 square feet (370,000 m2), it's one of the world's largest facilities. A real-time warehouse management system is of course required to run such a complex. The facility makes extensive use of task interleaving, literally combining dozens of DC activities (putaway, replenishing, order picking, sleigh loading, cycle counting) in a dynamic queue...the DC elves have been on engineered standards and incentives for three years, leading to a 12% gain in productivity...The WMS and transportation system are fully integrated, allowing (the elves) to make optimal decisions that balance transportation and order picking and other DC costs. Unbeknownst to many, Santa actually has to use many sleighs and fake Santa drivers to get the job done Christmas Eve, and the TMS optimally builds thousands of consolidated sacks that maximize cube utilization and minimize total air miles. Many television commercials, comic strips and other media depict this as a sort of humorous business, with Santa's elves acting as a sometimes mischievously disgruntled workforce, cracking jokes and pulling pranks on their boss. For instance, an early Bloom County story has Santa telling the story of how his elves went on strike, only to be fired by Ronald Reagan and replaced by unemployed aircraft control personnel. Another recent depiction can be found in the 2007 film Fred Claus, a comedy starring Vince Vaughan in the title role as the sarcastic older brother to Santa (played by Paul Giamatti.) Fred visits his brother at the North Pole and, under the guidance of Santa and the elves (some who act as Santa's bodyguards), helps deliver the Christmas toys. NORAD, the joint Canadian-American military organization responsible for air defense, regularly reports tracking Santa Claus every year. In Kyrgyzstan, a mountain peak was named after Santa Claus, after a Swedish company had suggested the location be a more efficient starting place for present-delivering journeys all over the world, than Lapland. In the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, a Santa Claus Festival was held on December 30, 2007, with government officials attending. 2008 was officially declared the Year of Santa Claus in the country. The events are seen as moves to boost tourism in Kyrgyzstan[30], which is predominately Muslim. Posted by qualitydress AT 11/17/2008 12:47 AM | 0 comments | post a comment | digg it Sinterklaas and Saint Nicholas The folklore of Saint Nicolas has many parallels with Germanic mythology, in particular with the god Odin. These include the beard, hat and spear (nowadays a staff) and the cloth bag held by the servants to capture naughty children. Both Saint Nicolas and Odin ride white horses that can fly through the air; the white eight-legged steed of Odin is named Sleipnir (although Sleipnir is more commonly depicted as gray). The letters made of candy given by the Zwarte Pieten to the children evokes the fact that Odin ‘invented’ the rune letters. The poems made during the celebration and the songs the children sing relate to Odin as the god of the arts of poetry. There are various explanations of the origins of the helpers. The oldest explanation is that the helpers symbolize the two ravens Hugin and Munin who informed Odin on what was going on. In later stories the helper depicts the defeated devil. The devil is defeated by either Odin or his helper Nörwi, the black father of the night. Nörwi is usually depicted with the same staff of birch (Dutch: "roe") as Zwarte Piet.  Another, more modern, story is that Saint Nicolas liberated an Ethiopian slave boy called 'Piter' (from Saint Peter) from a Myra market, and the boy was so gracious he decided to stay with Saint Nicolas as a helper. With the influx of immigrants to the Netherlands starting in the late 1950s, this story is felt by some to be racist[20]. Today, Zwarte Piet have become modern servants, who have black faces because they climb through chimneys, causing their skin to become blackened by soot. They hold chimney cleaning tools (cloth bag and staff of birch). Until the Second World War, Saint Nicolas was only helped by one servant. When the Canadians liberated the Netherlands in 1945, they reinstated the celebrations of Sinterklaas for the children. Unaware of the traditions, the Canadians thought that if one Zwarte Piet was fun, several Zwarte Pieten is even more fun. Ever since Saint Nicolas is helped by a group of Zwarte Pieten. Presents given during this feast are often accompanied by poems, some basic, some quite elaborate pieces of art that mock events in the past year relating to the recipient. The gifts themselves may be just an excuse for the wrapping, which can also be quite elaborate. The more serious gifts may be reserved for the next morning. Since the giving of presents is Sinterklaas's job, presents are traditionally not given at Christmas in the Netherlands, but commercialism is starting to tap into this market. The Zwarte Pieten have roughly the same role for the Dutch Saint Nicolas that the elves have to America's Santa Claus. According to tradition, the saint has a Piet for every function: there are navigation Pieten to navigate the steamboat from Spain to Holland, or acrobatic Pieten for climbing up the roofs to stuff presents through the chimney, or to climb through themselves. Throughout the years many stories have been added, mostly made up by parents to keep children's belief in Saint Nicolas intact and to discourage misbehaviour. In most cases the Pieten are quite lousy at their job, such as the navigation Piet (Dutch "wegwijs piet") pointing in the wrong direction. This is often used to provide some simple comedy in the annual parade of Saint Nicolas coming to the Netherlands, and can also be used to laud the progress of children at school by having the Piet give the wrong answer to, for example, a simple mathematical question like 2+2, so that the child in question is (or can be) persuaded to give the right answer. In the Netherlands the character of Santa Claus, as known in the United States (with his white beard, red and white outfit, etc.), is entirely distinct from Sinterklaas, known instead as (de) Kerstman (trans. (the) Christmasman. Although Sinterklaas is the predominant gift-giver in the Netherlands in December (36% of the population only give presents on Sinterklaas day), Christmas is used by another fifth of the Dutch population to give presents (21% give presents on Christmas only). Some 26% of the Dutch population give presents on both days. Posted by qualitydress AT 11/17/2008 12:42 AM | 0 comments | post a comment | digg it Santa Claus Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, or simply "Santa", is the figure who, in Western cultures, is described as bringing gifts on Christmas Eve, December 24[1] or on his Feast Day, December 6.[2] The legend may have its basis in hagiographical tales concerning the historical figure of Saint Nicholas. The modern depiction of Santa Claus as a fat, jolly man (or gnome) wearing a red coat and trousers with white cuffs and collar, and black leather belt and boots, became popular in the United States in the 19th century due to the significant influence of caricaturist and political cartoonist Thomas Nast.[3] This image has been maintained and reinforced through song, radio, television, and films. In the United Kingdom and Europe, his depiction is often identical to the American Santa, but he is commonly called Father Christmas.  One legend associated with Santa says that he lives in the far north, in a land of perpetual snow. The American version of Santa Claus lives at the North Pole, while Father Christmas is said to reside in Lapland. Other details include: that he is married and lives with Mrs. Claus; that he makes a list of children throughout the world, categorizing them according to their behavior; that he delivers presents, including toys, candy, and other presents to all of the good boys and girls in the world, and sometimes coal or sticks to the naughty children, in one night; and that he accomplishes this feat with the aid of magical elves who make the toys, and eight or nine flying reindeer who pull his sleigh. There has long been opposition to teaching children to believe in Santa Claus. Some Christians say the Santa tradition detracts from the religious origins and purpose of Christmas. Other critics feel that Santa Claus is an elaborate lie, and that it is unethical for parents to teach their children to believe in his existence.[6] Still others oppose Santa Claus as a symbol of the commercialization of the Christmas holiday, or as an intrusion upon their own national traditions. Saint Nicholas of Myra is the primary inspiration for the Christian figure of Santa Claus. He was a 4th-century Greek Christian bishop of Myra in Lycia, a province of the Byzantine Anatolia, now in Turkey. Nicholas was famous for his generous gifts to the poor, in particular presenting the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes. He was very religious from an early age and devoted his life entirely to Christianity. In Europe (more precisely the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Germany) he is still portrayed as a bearded bishop in canonical robes. In 1087, the Italian city of Bari, wanting to enter the profitable pilgrimage industry of the times, mounted an expedition to locate the tomb of the Christian Saint and procure the remains. The reliquary of St. Nicholas was desecrated by Italian sailors and the spoils, including his relics, taken to Bari [8] [9] where they are kept to this day. A basilica was constructed the same year to store the loot and the area became a pilgrimage site for the devout, thus justifying the economic cost of the expedition. Saint Nicholas became claimed as a patron saint of many diverse groups, from archers and children to pawnbrokers.[10] He is also the patron saint of both Amsterdam and Moscow. Posted by qualitydress AT 11/17/2008 12:36 AM | 0 comments | post a comment | digg it Fedora A fedora is a soft felt hat that is creased lengthwise down the crown and pinched in the front on both sides. Similar hats with a C-crown (with an indentation for the head in the top of the crown) are occasionally called fedoras. The brim goes all the way around, and often there will be a hat band as well. A trilby hat is somewhat similar to a fedora, but typically has a shorter brim, and the back of the brim is distinctively more sharply upturned as a result. The term fedora was in use as early as 1891. Beginning in the 20th century, the fedora came into use as an upper-class clothing accessory. Hats that resemble the soft felt version are often called fedoras even if they are made of straw or twill. Fedoras did not start to become widespread until the late 1910s. Its popularity soared, and eventually it eclipsed the similar-looking Homburg by the 1930s. Fedoras can be found in nearly any color imaginable, but black, grey, and tan/brown are the most popular.  The word fedora comes from the title of an 1882 play by Victorien Sardou. Princess Fédora, the heroine of the play, wore a hat similar to a fedora. In the early part of the twentieth century, the fedora was popular in cities for its stylishness, ability to protect the wearer's head from the wind and weather, and the fact that it could be rolled up when not in use. Since the early part of the 20th century, many Haredi and other Orthodox Jews have worn black fedoras and continue to this day. The hat is sometimes associated with Prohibition-era gangsters and the detectives who sought to bring them to justice. In Hollywood movies of the 1940s, characters often wore a fedora, particularly when playing private detectives, gangsters, or other "tough guy" roles. A trench coat was frequently part of the costume, a notable example being Humphrey Bogart's character in Casablanca. The fedora is widely recognized with the characters of The Blues Brothers, Indiana Jones, and Freddy Krueger. The fedora is closely associated with film noir characters. In the case of action/adventure films, such as old "B"-movies, and the Indiana Jones series they inspired, the fedora served the practical purpose of hiding the face sufficiently to allow doubles to perform the more dangerous stunts seamlessly. Like the bowler hat, the fedora fell out of usage and popularity during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The hat began to lose favor even earlier on the west coast of the United States, which is known for its more casual clothing. The early 1950s switch from large lapels and ties to thin ones, resulted in shorter-brimmed hats, and this likely played a role in the fedora eventually being deemed a non-essential item. Also playing a part was the shrinking automobiles of the mid-1950s, which often made it difficult to wear a hat while driving. By the early 1970s, the fedora was seen as a dead fashion, typically only worn by older and/or more traditional men. However the fedora has seen a revival in recent fashion seasons. Instead of the tradional grays, browns, and blacks, the fedora now comes in many colors and patterns, the most popular being plaid, but black with white pinstripes are also common. Though the hat was originally for men, it is now more popular for teenage girls. On January 20, 1961, President John F. Kennedy supposedly chose not to wear a hat to his inauguration. However, there is ample photographic and journalistic evidence that President Kennedy indeed wore a top hat to his inauguration ceremony, only removing it when he gave his speech. Traditionally, when a man doffs this hat, he grasps a fedora by the crown (though it can and does do damage over time). If there is a strong wind it is acceptable to anchor a fedora using the "wind trolley" found on some fedoras. This elastic band can be taken off the crown and wound through the button hole of a suit lapel. Hats, including the fedora, are typically doffed indoors, except in public areas such as lobbies or elevators. If a man wearing a fedora enters into a conversation with a lady, custom dictates that he doff his hat. digital thermometer waterproof Posted by qualitydress AT 11/13/2008 10:22 PM | 0 comments | post a comment | digg it Boonie hat A boonie hat is a form of wide-brim hat commonly used by militaries. Its design is similar to a bucket hat but with a stiffer brim. Often a fabric tape band of 'branch loops' is sewn around the crown of the hat. This 'foliage ring' is meant to hold additional vegetation as camouflage. A strap provides stability. The crown may be vented with rivets or mesh panels. Snaps may also be provided with which to fix the brim in the style of an Australian bush hat. They are also known as bush hats.  The boonie hat was introduced to the U.S. military during the Vietnam War, when U.S. Army Green Berets began wearing them in the field, along with Australian and ARVN units.[1] These tigerstripe boonie hats were locally procured, the tiger stripe camo cloth was usually salvaged from other uniform items or made up by the tailor. In 1967, the US Army began issuing boonie hats, as the "Hat, Jungle, with Insect Net", made of cotton and wind-resistant poplin, in olive drab, tigerstripe, and M65 ERDL.[2] It was meant to supplement and replace the fatigue hats and baseball style caps that had been in service since World War II. While it was liked by troops in the field, it was scorned as slovenly by spit and polish officers such as Creighton Abrams.[3] As the U.S. military evolved away from a garrison mentality, the boonie found a permanent place as part of the uniform of all services.  The boonie has changed little through the decades since Vietnam and is still in use in Iraq and Afghanistan as an alternative to the patrol cap. The U.S. Military boonie hat has come in a variety of camouflage patterns; the current assortment includes US M81 woodland, three-color desert, ACUPAT, and both desert and woodland versions of MARPAT. Early issue boonie hats were olive drab. In 1968 the Army authorized use of the woodland ERDL pattern (Engineering Research Development Laboratory) material, used in the 1969 and later production of hats in cotton rip-stop material. These were labeled, "Hat, Camouflage (Tropical Combat) Type II" with contract dates starting in 1968. They were in use from 1968 for both the Army and Air Force, and from 1969-70 for the Marine Corps and Navy. Later boonies are called "Hat, Sun" or "Hat, Sun, Hot Weather", which is still the designation for this type of cover. They are made in various patterns, in cotton rip-stop or nylon blend cloth. | |||||||
