Namas te Jewels

Archive for December, 2010

An old and reclusive art, glove making has been intertwined with human culture since the days of the caveman. The first gloves resembled crude mittens. As the years passed, glove making became more of a refined art. Articulated fingers were stitched in to provide more dexterity and ease of movement. While glove makers’ guilds once dominated in a society obsessed with a covered hand, today very few remain. Fewer still are the patterns available for hand-made gloves. Machine sewn and hand-finished gloves are mostly what you’ll find in the market.

Gloves are seen in ancient writings, such as Homer’s The Odyssey, in which Laertes is said to wear gloves in his garden so as to avoid the brambles. There is some debate over the translation of this text. In The History of Herodotus, written in 440 BC, Herodotus describes how Leotychides was given a bribe in the form of a gauntlet overflowing with silver, which later incriminated him.

As years passed, the complexity and versatility of gloves grew. Plated gauntlets are dated back as far as the early 14th century. Before that, mail gloves were worn. Some knights were cited as wearing mail gloves under their plated gauntlets for added strength.

Now, if we look to the fashion world, we see a marvelous array of styles. Cloth and leather gauntlets displayed intricate embroideries. Ladies in the 19th century adored opera gloves. One peculiarity is that they tried to fit their hands into gloves a size too small! This forced one’s hand to rest in a half cupped position – perfect for greeting, but not for kissing. If you have ever attempted to don a glove you are too big for, you realize what a task these women undertook! Buttonhook and powdered alum provided some lubrication, but still, before an opera, determined women would sit for hours, coaxing their hands down into tight gloves.

Few tomes remain that give us real insight of early gloves. One of the more revered in existence today is Le Gant. The book, while entirely in French, reveals many patterns and divulges a brief development and history of the glove. Also included are passages telling us of the period’s social relevance and sexual significance pertaining to the glove.

Insulation from the heat or cold. Protection from scratches and cuts. The instigation of duels. Bold or minute fashion statements. Gloves have worn many hats, so to speak, throughout history. They continue to be a wholly integral part of many jobs today. Conversely, there has been a sharp decline in the use of gloves as fashion accessories over the past several decades. Fewer and fewer girls attend their proms with gloves. Fashion is a fickle thing, and only time will tell the future of the glove.

Glove enthusiast, Taylor Hartley, conducts and posts research regarding all types of gloves. For more information regarding industrial and personal use gloves, visit http://www.unitedglove.com.

Beach shoes have evolved significantly over the last few years. Gone are the days when flip-flops and Birkenstock’s (remember that not all Birkenstock’s are waterproof so choose the ones you’ll wear to the beach wisely) were your only option. Though who can really live without a nice comfy pair of Birkenstock’s or 12? Today there are all kinds of shoes made specifically to wear to the beach.

From netted athletic shoes made for running and walking just along the edge of the water to jelly shoes, flip-flops, and dozens of varieties in between it is now more than ever possible to not only have shoes that are practical to wear to the beach, but fashionable in this endeavor as well.

Shoes say a lot about the wearer, there is really no exception for beach shoes. Any old flip-flops say the wearer isn’t very concerned about their foot fashion. Of course there are flip-flops with embellishments that make them a little more fashionable than the dollar store variety. A nice pair of Birkenstock’s says the wearer is wisely more concerned with quality and comfort than following trends. Impractical beach shoes or those that are likely to need repairs after coming into contract with water and/or sand say the owner has more money than sense. And shoes that are funky and fashionable and made for the beach say the wearer is fashionably chic.

When choosing the right beach shoes for you it is important that you consider what your beachside activities are going to be. If you want to run along the shoreline, you might want to purchase a pair of the beach friendly athletic shoes that are relatively new. If you want to be fashionable go for some of the trendy beach shoes, if you want the ultimate in comfort go for a nice pair of Birkenstock’s, and flip-flops are always an old fall back that have been the shoe of choice of beach goers for ages.

Ten Body Piercing Safety Tips

Body piercing is all the rage with individuals of all ages. Whether you are choosing to pierce ears, lips, noses, eyebrows, tongues, or something a bit more risqué, safety and hygiene should be at the top of the check list before you run out and grab a needle. These ten tips for body piercing safety will ensure your piercing does not result in a potentially dangerous infection.

1.) Only use a professional.
Piercing is something that should only be performed by a professional. It is a great deal more complicated than simply pushing a needle through a part of your body. Choose a reliable professional and seek a consultation before you make the decision to pierce. Home piercing jobs are most likely to lead to complications or infections.

2.) Ask questions.
Think of a interviewing a potential piercer the same as you would a doctor. Ask about their cleanliness and disease prevention policies. A great many diseases, including AIDS and Hepatitis can be spread through using dirty needles, so you should ensure your quality of health is not compromised. Do not feel ashamed or embarrassed to ask the necessary questions, and beware of any so-called professional who seems unwilling or unable to provide answers.

3.) Choose wisely.
Just as each body is different, everyone will not be able to successfully pierce their chosen spot. Once you seek a professional to pierce your body, ensure the piercing can be successful. For example, individuals with an “out-ie” belly button are unable to have a belly button piercing due to the orientation. Also, some individuals are unable to have their tongue correctly pierced due to the orientation of essential nerves and blood vessels.

4.) Think about the impact.
It’s a necessary fact of the matter that most employers frown upon visible body piercings. Regardless of your personal feeling on body piercings, know that you may be discriminated against or viewed in an unfavorable light by some individuals only due to your body piercings. Before you decide on any piercing, consider the impact on your image and your life.

5.) Choose quality body jewelry.
When it comes to choosing body jewelry, ensure you choose quality metals or high carbonate plastics that will work well in your body and not have any complications. Most body piercing jewelry is either gold with a high karat count or surgical quality stainless steel. Avoid cheap or flimsy body jewelry and focus on the quality instead of the design.

6.) Keep it clean.
After the body part has been pierced, it is essential to keep the hole clean. Your body sees a piercing as a wound, so cleanliness is the key. Remember, infections also do not discriminate between piercing holes and puncture wounds.

7.) Keep it dry.
Most piercers agree that the hole should be kept dry until healing has commenced. Keep your piercing hole free of salvia, sweat, salt water, or chlorine water, since all of these liquids can case infection.

8.) Avoid makeup.
If you are choosing a facial piercing, avoid polluting the hole with makeup. Most cosmetic products are made with oils that can invade the piercing hole and cause infection.

9.) Identify infection.
Keep an eye out for infections that can quickly and easily cause pain and discomfort. Not all infections work in the same manner, but warning signs include any type of discharge from the wound, fever, pain, discomfort, swelling, and redness around the hole.

10.) Seek medical attention.
If your piercing is exhibiting signs of infection or complication, immediately seek medical attention. Also, if the piercing is routinely painful and does not seem to heal, you should seek treatment by your primary health care provider.