Not Believable
By pleatedskirtguy, Friday, January 22, 2010Sir Francis Drake 1540-1596 was an English privateer (Crown chartered pirate) who raided Spanish treasure galleons on the high seas. Men today would not believe that earlier men wore such fancy clothes, which they would ID as effeminate. Reason being a conflux of social forces over the last several centuries became tributary causes leading to what costume historians call "The Great Masculine Renunciation." They renounced all fancy and decorative clothes, everything with frills, most color, leaving display in clothes almost 100% to women; so that today, uninformed people believe biology causes this difference. Previously the only recognized prerogative accorded to women in dress and appearance was the plunging neckline, that is, breast cleavage display. But that was a factor provided by God or nature; there was no denial of selection to men. The pleated, lacy neck ruffs noblemen wore are sometimes said to have been not merely decorative, but protective against throat and neck wounds in battle. Francis Drake saw many battles. He was courageous far beyond most men today who wouldn't be caught dead in such accessories. But he was also cruel--in one incident he massacred 600 women and children after surrender, and he had a competing commander beheaded by accusation of witchcraft (to which there are modern "medical" parellels!) The Beefeater guards at the Tower of London still wear these pleated neck ruffs. It would look nice added to the Evzones pleated skirts. But people imbued with tradition fear innovation, not realizing that every tradition was originally an innovation.







