Knickerbocker Glory

4.9

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$ 15.50

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Do you know your directoire knickers from your French and your free-traders from your drawers? Do you know that no-one wore knickers until the end of the 18th century or how we managed before the invention of elastic? Well, after a brilliant and very funny afternoon with Rosemary Hawthorne, aka the Knicker Lady, the Papyrus-in-the-Marches' audience last Sunday at The Chase Hotel now do. And at the same time they raised over £1000 for Papyrus, the UK charity for the prevention of Young Suicide. Delving into her trunks, cases and bags Rosemary produced, with many a flourish, an hilarious assortment of underwear. There were divided drawers, or free-traders which were the first time women were allowed to wear anything resembling a pair of knickers; there were the split, ankle-length Victorian knickerbockers with braces; red flannel combinations which, 'kept Jack Frost at bay, and every Tom, Dick and Harry', and voluminous drawstring drawers nicknamed harvesters because, when they were fastened around the waist, 'all was safely gathered in'. There were knitted knickers and swimming costumes which were very scratchy and created embarrassing situations when wet! Parachute silk was a much more glamorous and comfortable option during the World War II although women in the forces wore khaki and navy 'passion killers'. Many members of the audience felt nostalgic as a pair of schoolgirl navy blue knickers, complete with pocket, was produced and a huge, greyish pair of men's pure wool underpants from the late 1940s almost brought the house down. By comparison today's underwear is almost mundane although in the USA you can buy edible, cherry-flavoured knickers!
Do you know your directoire knickers from your French and your free-traders from your drawers? Do you know that no-one wore knickers until the end of the 18th century or how we managed before the invention of elastic? Well, after a brilliant and very funny afternoon with Rosemary Hawthorne, aka the Knicker Lady, the Papyrus-in-the-Marches' audience last Sunday at The Chase Hotel now do. And at the same time they raised over £1000 for Papyrus, the UK charity for the prevention of Young Suicide. Delving into her trunks, cases and bags Rosemary produced, with many a flourish, an hilarious assortment of underwear. There were divided drawers, or free-traders which were the first time women were allowed to wear anything resembling a pair of knickers; there were the split, ankle-length Victorian knickerbockers with braces; red flannel combinations which, 'kept Jack Frost at bay, and every Tom, Dick and Harry', and voluminous drawstring drawers nicknamed harvesters because, when they were fastened around the waist, 'all was safely gathered in'. There were knitted knickers and swimming costumes which were very scratchy and created embarrassing situations when wet! Parachute silk was a much more glamorous and comfortable option during the World War II although women in the forces wore khaki and navy 'passion killers'. Many members of the audience felt nostalgic as a pair of schoolgirl navy blue knickers, complete with pocket, was produced and a huge, greyish pair of men's pure wool underpants from the late 1940s almost brought the house down. By comparison today's underwear is almost mundane although in the USA you can buy edible, cherry-flavoured knickers!