Category:
Fashion

The history of three-holed panties

After I posted about the "pantyhose garment with spare leg" yesterday, several people pointed out prior art, which to my mind calls into question the validity of the patent.

In the comments, Dumbfounded noted: "In a 1987 Judge Dredd story, the father of child serial killer P.J. Maybe shows off a design for trousers with a third leg, 'in case one wears out'. The spare leg was kept tucked in a pocket when not in use."

And then Chuck recalled that in the first News of the Weird paperback (1989), he included an anecdote from the Wall Street Journal about a Japanese worker who had invented six-day underwear with three leg holes.

I tracked down the WSJ article in question. It ran on Oct. 16, 1987 and described a creativity contest at Honda Motor Co. in which workers were encouraged to design whimsical new products, one of which was indeed underwear with three leg holes: "The garment is supposed to last for six days, with the wearer rotating it 120 degrees each day--and then wearing it inside out for three days."

Other products from the contest included:
  • musical bath slippers
  • a hot tub installed in the back of a car
  • a fig tree that dances to the music of Karen Carpenter
  • a toothbrush with built-in toothpaste
  • a child's motorized sled that climbs back uphill by itself
  • a pillow with an internal alarm
  • and a rickshaw pulled by a manikin made of papier-mache and plaster (designed to resemble Honda's 81-year-old founder, Soichiro Honda)

Posted By: Alex - Fri Feb 27, 2009 - Comments (8)
Category: Fashion, Underwear, Patents

Pantyhose Garment with Spare Leg

Patent No. 5,713,081, issued Feb 3, 1998:

A hosiery item including a panty member having three absorbent crotch members provided therein, each absorbent crotch member having a pocket formed therein; and three leg portions secured to the panty member in a manner such that an absorbent crotch member is positioned between any two leg portions, each leg portion having a leg insertion opening in connection with an interior of the panty member.

In use the wearer inserts her legs into two of the leg openings in the conventional fashion of donning a pair of pantyhose. The remaining unused leg portion is then gathered and the toe end tucked into the pocket of one of the absorbent crotch members. If a run or hole develops in one of the leg portions being worn, the leg of the wearer can be easily and rapidly removed from the damaged leg portion and placed into the undamaged spare leg portion. The damaged leg portion is then gathered, folded and tucked into a pocket of one of the absorbent crotch members as wearer to select and use any two of the three leg portions for use.

All Weird Universe readers, male and female, are expected to add this to their wardrobes.

Posted By: Alex - Thu Feb 26, 2009 - Comments (13)
Category: Fashion, Patents

Weekend in Havana

Can you sing as fast as Carmen Miranda does in this tune, "Rebola a Bola," from WEEKEND IN HAVANA?

I found the Portuguese lyrics and had Google translate them. The eccentric result is to be found after the jump: original line in Portuguese followed by English "translation."





More in extended >>

Posted By: Paul - Sat Feb 21, 2009 - Comments (2)
Category: Fashion, Human Marvels, Movies, Music, 1940s, South America

Identity-Preserving Balaclava

Instructables.com offers a step-by-step guide for making your very own identity-preserving balaclava. Why would you want this? They point out:

the main reason that cold-weather facial attire is somewhat socially taboo is because it generally obscures the identity of the person wearing it. Despite all of the progress our society has made towards accepting and treating all people fairly, we are still yet to escape the notion that a person in a balaclava (or ski mask) is generally up to no good. The "Identity Preserving Balaclava" is my solution to the social stigma associated with the identity concealing effect of the average balaclava.

So how long before Chuck gets to post about a stupid criminal who tries to rob a bank wearing an identity preserving balaclava? (via Boing Boing)




Posted By: Alex - Fri Feb 20, 2009 - Comments (13)
Category: Fashion

The Hamburger Dress

Nice, but it needs some bacon.

Posted By: Alex - Tue Feb 17, 2009 - Comments (13)
Category: Fashion

Makeup for Men

Makeup for Men is the hot new thing in the cosmetics industry. A few of the products available include:

Sport & Sun Tone Enhancer, which "simulates the healthy glow that a faint sunburn and exercise create." When sold to women it's called blush.

Confidence Corrector to hide blemishes and tattoos. I think women call this foundation.

Double Stroke Cream Mascara "for men who want handsome looking lashes without a 'made-up' effect."

And Blo-Job Bronzing Powder, "An instant tan at the end of the brush."

via Sociological Images

Posted By: Alex - Tue Feb 03, 2009 - Comments (11)
Category: Fashion, Gender

Cap and Mask in One

A lovely bathing fashion from 1930. I wonder what reaction you'd get if you hung out at the neighborhood pool wearing one of these. From Popular Science, Aug 1930:

When the first wearer recently appeared on the Los Angeles beach, the startling, round eyeholes of the mask might have suggested to a fanciful observer the appearance of a feminine Martian or a lady robot. Despite its oddity, the mask serves the practical purpose of protecting the eyes and ears in diving. Celluloid eyepieces keep out the water. The lower portion of the mask covers half the swimmer's face, leaving the nose and mouth uncovered. It may be turned up when not needed.

Posted By: Alex - Wed Jan 28, 2009 - Comments (6)
Category: Fashion

Wooden Bathing Suits

I guess the "Wear Wood" campaign never caught on. From Popular Science, May 1930:

Wooden Bathing Suits. These two girls are wearing bathing suits of wood. They are the latest novelty for use on the bathing beaches. Fashioned of thin spruce, they are said to be practical as costumes and also are sufficiently buoyant to encourage a timid swimmer to take a plunge. So far, none of them has warped or cracked.


eFootage.com has video footage from 1932 of "lovely ladies" modeling and swimming in the wooden suits.

Posted By: Alex - Mon Jan 19, 2009 - Comments (14)
Category: Fashion

Psych-Out

Once you have experienced the 1968 film PSYCH-OUT, you will be unable to return to your square, plastic, uptight lifestyle. Just the sight of Jack Nicholson's fake ponytail alone will trip you out!



Posted By: Paul - Fri Jan 16, 2009 - Comments (9)
Category: Bums, Hobos, Tramps, Beggars, Panhandlers and Other Streetpeople, Costumes and Masks, Drugs, Fads, Fashion, Hair Styling, History, Hollywood, Inebriation and Intoxicants, Movies, Music, Regionalism, Sexuality, Stereotypes and Cliches, Surrealism, Bohemians, Beatniks, Hippies and Slackers, 1960s, Posters, Dance, Body Painting, Facial Hair

Bikini Jeans

What do you get when you cross jeans with a bikini? The bikini jean. They're all the rage in Japan. Available from Sanna's Brazil Fashion (a Japanese store, despite the Brazil in its name) for only $94.

Posted By: Alex - Fri Jan 16, 2009 - Comments (9)
Category: Fashion, Denim

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Who We Are
Alex Boese
Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes.

Paul Di Filippo
Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1.

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