Clothing in Medieval Times
Clothing styles underwent lot of changes between the 5th and 15th centuries, referred to as the medieval age in history. At that time, clothes reflected a person’s standing in the social hierarchy. For example, kings wore different kinds of clothes when compared to noblemen. Peasants were more humble in their dressing sense.
Wars and battles were quite common during these times and hence, it was a period of known for turmoil and disturbances in some parts of the world, while some others suffered severe downtrends. Royal people wore velvet and common people stuck to wool without much choice.
Elite women wore linen during medieval times while the poor women wore wool as they could not afford linen. Also, the stockings were woven, cut and sewn to fit the legs. The knee garters fashioned from woolen strips held the stockings in place.
The quality of clothing and the embellishment varied based on the social class of the person and the wealth owned by the individual. Typically, women wore long woolen gowns and preferred bright colors like yellow, blue, violet and green and liberally used different kinds of dyes. The clothing of the peasant women was much more humble.
It was common for women to wear gowns during the 5th and 6th centuries. These gowns consisted of simple fabric sheets fastened together with beautiful brooches at the shoulders. During the 7th century, new ankle-length gown styles emerged with contrasting band colors and consisted of wide sleeves extending up to the elbow. A richly decorated girdle or jeweled belt was an added accessory to these gowns.
By the 11th century, various other structured gowns with different tailoring styles were designed with cuffs and collars. Girdles became less popular. The 12th century saw the use of tight laces in women’s clothing that highlighted the fit making the waists look smaller. Cloaks were richly embellished or embroidered with gold, copper or silver trimmings. Common people wore rough woolen tunics. Women also used veils and wimples to cover their faces and throat.
Aristocratic men wore plain linen shirts. Trousers were like leggings and were held at the waists using leather or woven belts. The 5th and 6th centuries saw the emergence of sleeveless short tunics clenched at the waist. Around the 7th century, houppelande, a heavy decorated gown, was introduced for men and consisted of voluminous sleeves that were tight around the wrists. Leather belts with purses also became popular during this time. During the 11th century, elite men wore long tunics whereas peasants short woolen tunics that were not very well decorated.
January 07 2011 | News And Society | Comments Off
New Orleans Road Home Program Woes Continue
According to new data released by the Louisiana Road Home Program, a state-run program set up to assist victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, about 25% of applicants initially interviewed are ineligible for grants.
ICF International, a subcontractor handling closures for the Road Home Program, is obligated to close 90,000 cases by the end of the year or face a $150,000 penalty in its $750,000 contract.
Activists skeptical of the Road Home Program question the awards granted and feel that there were monetary shortcomings at the expense of applicants in an effort to meet deadlines. Some applicants have charged that Road Home representatives instructed and/or encouraged them to take whatever money was initially offered and appeal for the rest later. “A half a loaf of bread is better than none” was the mantra often given by applicants who felt that they were under funded but were not willing to take the risk of “bucking” the system and not receiving anything at all.
Officials of the Road Home Program decline to report how many recipients of the 84 thousand who have received grants are appealing for more money.
One problem rarely reported is that many homes in historical neighborhoods such as the 9th Ward have been passed down from generation to generation. Unfortunately, in many cases proper paperwork was never filed and there are disputed title claims to many damaged homes which has caused further strife to affected families.
It has also been reported that insurance companies have used these unfortunate ownership disputes to their advantage to deny claims. The insurance battle of New Orleans continues to rage and is another article for another writer with more patience than this one.
December 24 2010 | News And Society | Comments Off
Jamaica Weather
In planning a vacation, one of the most important considerations is the weather at the destination. This is because the weather conditions in a certain location can help you decide on when would be the best time to go to the location and it can also help you prepare the things you need to bring, especially your clothing. This is true even for places where the climate seem to follow a general trend throughout the year like Jamaica, which has weather that is generally sunny all year round. This is because despite the fact that such a place like Jamaica is considered to have good tropical weather, being aware of the “perfect” or ideal time to go to Jamaica with regard to weather conditions can help you maximize your vacation to the island.
To be able to determine which would be the best time to go to Jamaica, there are a number of things that you need to know about the weather profile in the island. This includes knowing that there are only two seasons in Jamaica, which are the wet season and the dry season. In relation to this, you also need to be aware of the rainiest months in Jamaica, which are usually the months of May, June, September and October. Given that Jamaica receives 78 inches of rain fall every year, it would be best of you avoid going to the island during these wet months, which could last up to November. It is also worth knowing that during April, the winds in Jamaica can be pretty strong, which can prevent you from doing activities like scuba diving and snorkeling due to strong waves. Finally, you should also be aware that Jamaica also has a hurricane season that stretches from June to September. Given these, it can then be said that the ideal time to go to Jamaica is during the dry season, which stretches from December to early April. The weather in Jamaica can play a major role in the activities that you could do while you are on the island and the quality of the vacation experience that you get from your trip.
December 04 2010 | News And Society | Comments Off