Browsing: Lists

A Brief History Swimsuits (or bikini, if you will) have always been popular.   While the two-piece swimsuit as a design existed in classical antiquity, the modern design first attracted public notice in Paris on July 5, 1946.  French mechanical engineer Louis Réard introduced a design he named the “bikini”, taking the name from the Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.  Four days earlier, the United States had initiated its first peace-time nuclear weapons test at Bikini Atoll as part of Operation Crossroads. Réard hoped his swimsuit’s revealing style would create an “explosive commercial and cultural reaction” similar to the explosion at…

A Brief History On January 22, 1917, President of the United States Woodrow Wilson called upon the warring European nations to end the Great War (World War I) in a “peace without victory.”  At this stage of the war, the major combatant nations had invested so many lives and so much national treasure that to quit without victory was political suicide for the leaders.  Wilson, with the US still neutral at that point, was clearly wasting his breath.  Wilson’s plea is just one of many times someone made an effort at peace despite having virtually no chance at actually gaining…

A Brief History On June 20, 1890, The Picture of Dorian Gray, a philosophical novel by Oscar Wilde, was first published complete in the July 1890 issue of Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine.  This article provides a list of cultural references in Wilde’s novel. Digging Deeper Individual persons referred in the novel The number of each chapter of The Picture of Dorian Gray in which an individual person is referred is in parentheses alongside his or her name. The chapter numbers are specific to the revised edition of the novel, first published in April 1891. Fictitious (created by Oscar Wilde) Seventy-one fictional characters, named in the novel, are Oscar Wilde’s creations, and…

A Brief History The concept of lingerie as a visually appealing undergarment was developed during the late nineteenth century.  Lucy Christiana, Lady Duff-Gordon (1863 – 1935), who worked under the professional name of “Lucile”, was a pioneer in developing lingerie that freed women from more restrictive corsets. During the late 19th century, corsets became smaller, less bulky and more constricting and were gradually supplanted by the brassiere, first patented in the 20th century by Caresse Crosby (born Mary Phelps Jacob; 1891 – 1970) . Today, nearly a century after these pioneering efforts, bottom wear can help you get all the attention…

A Brief History On January 10, 1776, the pamphlet Common Sense by American patriot Thomas Paine was published.  This persuasive document was widely read by Americans, encouraged to declare independence from an overbearing British colonial government.  Some books, pamphlets, manifestos, essays, and other written documents over the years have helped mold History.  Today, we list 12 of those important works. Digging Deeper 1.  Common Sense, Thomas Paine, 1776. Paine was a radical with little patience of tolerance of those that disagreed with him, and his forceful writings helped convince Americans to finally revolt against British rule. Common Sense is perhaps…