What a handsome group. The uniforms are natty and the stirrup pants look neat as well as being practical. Who'd want to ride into battle worrying about your pant legs flapping around or riding up?
Flapping pant legs are a hazard in many situations, not only battle but also sport or dancing. Stirrup pants have always been a must for baseball players.
Aside from being practical there's the fashion aspect of these pants. They've been "in" and just as quickly"out" over the years - there's been a few such cycles during my life. I owned stirrup ski pants once and a couple of pairs of boot-type pants made of stretchy material, held taut and in place with stirrups. They were comfortable as long as they fit properly and the crotch stayed where it belonged and not pulled down by the stirrups!
From what I read, they're back in fashion again - if Paris Hilton is wearing them, they're in. This time around they're often called "jeggings (jeans + leggings) with stirrups".
How about Katie Holmes, another fashionista, looking like a nun from the knees up and a dominatrix from the knees down.
Now they come in all colors, fabrics and patterns. Here's an unfortunate choice of pattern for pants that may sag or pull getting those stripes out of alignment.
Not being a dancer, I can only guess about stirruped panty hose. Probably bare feet are not as slippery in shoes as stockinged feet? I don't think this is an appealing look, but maybe it's practical.
At my age, it's hard to relate to the young skinny models sporting these pants in the fashion pages.
But even when the cute skinny girl is removed from the picture, the disembodied pants are still out my league. The absent body is pretty darn good looking.
I wish I could stir- rup something to end this with. I've stretched the theme to its limits like a pair of these pants pulled over an over-sized fanny. Happily I don't have any photos of myself or any family members in this kind of stretchy stuff. The closest I could come thematically is this shot of my Dad (front and center) and some comrades in uniform in Canada, probably Fort William. What a lot of show-off Canadians - bunch of tough guys, posing outdoors in the snow!
The fact that stirrup pants are coming back "IN" this season is a sure sign designers have run out of ideas. I hated them in the 60s because the stirrups kept slipping out of place and riding up over my heels. But I did enjoy this post and the clever twist on the theme. Most of all, your puns in trying to "stir-up" an ending cracked me up.
ReplyDeleteI believe Laura Petrie may have worn a pair or two on the Dick Van Dyke Show. Or were they just capris?
ReplyDeleteThis was a very nice twist of this weeks theme. But I can't say I find stirrups very elegant. They remind me of catapults.
ReplyDeleteThat would be pretty darned cold too!
ReplyDeleteI had a stint with the old stirrups, back in the 80s. They weren't half uncomfortable with that strap under foot inside a shoe! Certainly they were rightly-named!
Kat
I got to the line about Katie Holmes being a nun (waist up) and a dominatrix (waist down); I'm STILL laughing. Now there's a character for my next novel!
ReplyDeleteYour Dad is the only one who looks uncomfortable and cold in the photo of the men. At least they are wearing gloves.
ReplyDeleteYou saved the best until last! Someone suggested that they all go outside and have their picture taken in the snow! How clever of you to spot the stirrup pants, I was so taken with the hats and moustaches that I missed that.Sadly I too can remember how the 80s versions felt...and frankly I'd rather forget it!
ReplyDeleteA fun post today! Enjoyed it thoroughly!
ReplyDeleteGreat header photo by the way. Nice and fresh.
ReplyDeleteThey sure are stepping out in those heels like Katie is wearing! As for the stirrup, I still wondering what their real object was? Interesting post, thanks!
ReplyDeleteStirrup pants....haven't thought of those in years! When I was young I wore them often, but I can't imagine wearing them now. They were comfortable though. Reminds me of the saying "if you live long enough everything comes back around again" and apparently it's true. Fun post!
ReplyDeleteHelen,
ReplyDeleteWhat a clever take on this week's theme. I am still laughing!
I had a pair of those stirrup ski pants. They worked well for skiing - not so certain I'd try them now! Definitely a fashion for the young and skinny.
All you needed at the end was some Canadian Mounties to go with your stirrup theme. I guess the men in the snow were glad of their gloves.
ReplyDeleteHelen, you had me laughing outloud on the Katie Holmes picture. I love your take on this week's theme.
ReplyDeleteI still have some stirrup pants from the 90's, and I use them for pj's.
Thanks for the great post!
Kathy M.
I never did like the looks of the stirrup pants. So stretched out looking. I even forget the function of these gravity helping trousers, pulling everything down in a most uncomfortable way. Why were they necessary?
ReplyDeleteA very interesting post. Oh, and your dad was a very handsome soldier.
Nancy
Now that was really fun!
ReplyDeleteIs your new mast-head photo from last Thursday? That was the most beautiful sky I've ever seen and you sure captured it beautifully.
Barbara
By coincidence I also owned stirrup ski pants once and boot-type pants!
ReplyDeleteAnd I really liked those new "jeggings", but I think they'll fit better my daughter... :)
Nice way to come full circle with the theme. As far as those leggings go, Paris Hilton is hardly a reference, in my book... Rarely do they fit properly and are rarely flattering. Spare yourself the agony. These things are a bad fashion statement. You're not missing out on anything.
ReplyDelete:)~
HUGZ
those sticks look handy for breaking the ice!
ReplyDelete