November 2, 2015

Did you know Thomas Paine was a corsetmaker?

"In London, Paine's revolutionary writings were dismissed as the work of 'Tom the Bodicemaker'..."

Great cartoon fodder, wonderfully deployed:





I'd never noticed this historical fact before. I learned it from a NYT crossword from 2012 that came up in my crossword app last night. Paine wasn't much of a corsetmaker though:
Young Tom's formal schooling ended at twelve, when his father took him on as an apprentice to learn the family trade. Yet an uncertain economy made for a bad climate for a new tradesman, and Paine's efforts as a staymaker (and in several other subsequent careers) failed. After he sailed for America in 1774, he never practiced the staymaking trade again....
So metaphorical!

18 comments:

Bob Ellison said...

Probably gay. Otherwise he'd have stayed in the family business.

Laslo Spatula said...

Sometimes I hang out at Victoria's Secret and offer my services as a bra-fitter to certain young ladies.

Free of charge, of course.

My hours of business are from when I arrive to when Security shows up.


I am Laslo.

Vet66 said...

Meanwhile, the woman passed out from lack of oxygen (vapors) because she couldn't breathe at the party. The tiny waist had it's drawbacks, so to speak. It also made certain areas of female pulchritude more prominent as in the first push-up bra. My wife has me tighten up the bustier on her Victorian undergarments before putting on the dress. Note to those engaged in such endeavors, tie the knot in a bow tie for quick release. knots are not advisable.

Vet66 said...

Lasso: I recently was in VS with my wife and her sister. I suggested that their marketing scheme of "PINK" was getting old. I suggested "PEACHES" or "PEACHY" as an alternative. The security guard was summarily called arriving with his hand on what appeared to be a "club" of some sort. I withdrew my suggestion.

Vet66 said...

...Make that Laslo. Spell check didn't recognize the word, although either would apply nicely.

traditionalguy said...

Tom was the Trump of his days. He communicated with the new printed pamphlet at the realty level of common men a message that the Establishment and its King in England was not their friend but was running an enemy operation against the Colonials. And suddenly everybody agreed that was happening and that cutting ties was the only solution. All they needed was an Army for Washington to fight the British Empire's Army and Navy.

But where will Trump find his Army. The same places. Not Iowa, but in the Scots-Irish fly over States. One of the first of those was New Hampshire, Others went from western Pennsylvania down to
South Carolina covering Andy Jackson's settlements.

Laslo Spatula said...

When assisting a young woman with assessing bra fit many people make the mistake of approaching from the front.

Rookie mistake.

That puts your hands in an awkward position, with limited wrist movement.

The correct method is to stand directly behind the woman, and reach around to the breasts, so that the palms of your hands are in the best position to determine size, shape, bounce, and pertness.

If your erection is brushing the woman's buttocks you should probably take a half step back.


I am Laslo.

chickelit said...

So metaphorical!

He went from binding women to freeing men...

Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...

Hammond does know that, because Hammond has the interesting and very listenable Thomas Paine biography by Craig Nelson, from Audible/Amazon.

Laslo Spatula said...

One of the most overlooked aspects in bra fitting is the nipple.

How often during a given day are the woman's nipples erect?

A woman with constantly erect nipples should not be fitted with a lace bra, as the lace may cause abrasion to the protruding nipple.

Also: she might not need a bra at all, just a tight tight shirt.

Details matter.

I am Laslo.

Anonymous said...

Well, at least we had one President that knew how to work with figures.

Robert Cook said...

"Tom was the Trump of his days."

Hahahaha!! As if...!

Laslo Spatula said...

Also important to bra fit is breast proximity.

Does the woman want her breasts pushed together for maximum cleavage?

Or does she prefer to leave enough room between the breasts so that, say, a man could push his cock back and forth between them?

You need to know your customer's needs to be successful.

I aim for repeat business.


I am Laslo.

Laslo Spatula said...

I also offer my assistance in helping women find the proper fit of Yoga Pants.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not all about the ass.

Thigh Gap plays an important role, too.

I am Laslo.

Laslo Spatula said...

There are many ways to determine the amount of a woman's thigh gap, but I prefer the simplest:

How many fingers can you fit between the woman's thighs before they actually touch the thighs?

This measurement plays an important part in determining the potential of Camel Toe.

Three Fingers = Obvious Camel Toe. Usually.

I am Laslo.

Michael K said...

If we are on the topic of advanced education, as suggested by the description of Paine's education, I would point out that Michael Faraday had no formal education and was an apprentice to either a bookbinder or cabinet maker.

In 1831, using his "induction ring", Michael Faraday made one of his greatest discoveries - electromagnetic induction: the "induction" or generation of electricity in a wire by means of the electromagnetic effect of a current in another wire. The induction ring was the first electric transformer. In a second series of experiments in September he discovered magneto-electric induction: the production of a steady electric current. To do this, Faraday attached two wires through a sliding contact to a copper disc. By rotating the disc between the poles of a horseshoe magnet he obtained a continuous direct current. This was the first generator. From his experiments came devices that led to the modern electric motor, generator and transformer.

He was one of the greatest physicists in history and all self taught.

walter said...

I disagree.
I think you are inserting yourself unnecessarily.
With yoga pants, the thigh gap takes care of itself.

Hard to believe Faraday did all that without sensitivity training.

But those pictures are truly disturbing. Proof of the patriarchy literally shoving women into a Paineful endeavor.

Bilwick said...

Not just a corset-maker, but a purveyor of hate speech!