t i g h t

 

I have always been fascinated by fetishes, but I never thought that I had one myself - and I really did comb my brain in hopes of finding one.  Now I know, however, that I do - and it has all to do with stockings. Legs alone can be marvelous things, and they are made even better with ornamentation.  I don't cast my appreciation over all stockings - certainly no one looks all too appealing in neon broad-weft fishnets, but there are hundreds of other designs which enhance the gams in a more likable way.

One of my favorite times to wear lingerie is when lolling on the floor with friends

I want a  man who loves tights and baby animals

Cuban heel, backseam

Rad Chanel tights

classic schoolgirl white

my old favorite

latex stocks on Rhianna

Pregnancy dolls

An entire post could be devoted alone to the 19th century Japanese pregnancy doll, found primarily at sideshow carnivals (misemono).  Originally thought to be created as teaching aids for midwives, the elaborate replica of woman, organs, and even tiny articulated and hinged fetus were primarily used for entertainment.  At the time, there were apparently a number of attractions devoted to the natural study of the human study

this one is beautiful and intricately detailed, with human hair.

 

A similar figurine was popular in the 17th century wonder cabinets, or kunstkammer, of the wealthy in Germany and the Netherlands.  This subject (the kunstkammer) is one that continues to fascinate me, but the basic idea in a nutshell is this: as world trade became more facile, those with means to do so would acquire and artfully display objects from around the world, to appear worldly and knowledgeable.  The notion of displaying one's scope of knowledge and world view based on objects is a beautiful concept to me...

Anyway, an item commonly found were small ceramic educational models of pregnant women, with box-like removable stomachs and elaborate cases.

 

Naturally, the interest in teaching the business of life's beginning in miniature form persists to present day as well.  Over the years there have been many versions of pregnant Barbie and other humanoid favorites.

educational doll with plush placenta and mouth-to-nipple buttons

those are not my gloved hands

Semi-terrifying pregnant fairy doll

alain corbel - illustration

I had a terrible time in art school, as everyone who knows me personally has heard a thousand times over, but what knowledge and skill I DID learn came primarily from my illustration teacher, French artist Alain Corbel.  He is an incredibly creative and interesting person and his art is amazingly versatile.  He works will all sorts of different mediums, but what to me has become his signature look is executed in colored pencil on watercolor.  Truly, though, everything he does is good, and manages to be often very simplistic while perfectly styled, with a masterful color sense glazed over the top.

Selections.6

The fact that these cave images are hand-tinted gives them an even more surreal air.

Cave of the Winds, Manitou, Colorado

corny sculptural illustration, courtesy of Eleanor Frame scrapbook, volume ii

Sports injury

Skeleton discovered with some sort of ornamentation

Multi-level gravesite

Skeleton Couple

Prehistoric rendering of hunt scene

Ornate matrimonial log

Log of births, late 1800s

Deaths log, late 1800s

Selections.5

On this day in Special Collections - Curious Balkan Ceremonial Garb....

Long have I loved the swooning accordions and heart-wrenching cries of Balkan music (thank you, Beirut circa Gulag Orkestar, be still my heart).  Goran Bregovic, Boban Markovic and other of the regions most famous musicians give the listener an almost tactile sense of the blood-drenched history of the Balkan lands.

Needless to say,  I was thrilled when I came to the section in in the Ryan WWI photographs collection entitled "American Red Cross in the Balkans."  There weren't near as many images in this section as with others in the albums, but I certainly paid the most attention to it nonetheless.  The images feature a beautiful spectrum of weathered field-toiling people, and I have selected some of the most poignant and interesting ones for your viewing.

This ceremony was of great interest to me.  The pictures related to it bear no labels, but feature twin sisters and a few other girls in gilded outfits with elaborate breastplates displaying a vast number of coins.  Based on a few other photographs, it seems that the ceremony must be a sort of math-making or coming-of-age type affair.

I am smitten with this little child.

Horses trudging through deep hay