Bellevue Health Clinic

Archive for the ‘Cosmetics’ Category

The development of clothing for men had to balance the conflicting needs of fashion and practicality. Before the development of trousers, men wore separate leggings. The upper part of the body was covered by a doublet. Initially, this doublet was long but, as the hemline rose, the result was visible genitals. This gave quick and easy access for urinating, but was not necessarily suitable for mixed social gatherings. So the codpiece was introduced to cover up, but with sometimes extravagant padding to allow men to boast of their prowess. Indeed, men were the leaders of fashion in those days with new materials and intricate workmanship showing off every virtue (and demonstrating wealth to all onlookers). It therefore makes the 20th century rather a boring place for men with no real opportunity to show off their “beauty”. The field of battle was surrendered to women who were encouraged to preen in dress and behavior. Read the rest of this entry »