HDL

In many European societies between the Renaissance and the nineteenth century, exposed breasts were more acceptable than it is today, since a woman's bared legs, ankles, or shoulders were considered to be more risqué than her exposed breasts.[4]

Because aristocratic and upper-class women could maintain youthful-looking bosoms by employing wet nurses to breastfeed their children,[5] the exposed breast could even be a status symbol, and was often displayed as a sign of beauty, wealth, or social position. The bared breast was even seen to invoke associations with the nude sculptures of classical Greece that were exerting a huge influence on art, sculpture, and architecture of the period.[6]

Breast-baring female fashions have been traced to fifteenth-century courtesan Agnès Sorel, mistress to Charles VII of France, whose gowns in the French court sometimes exposed one or both of her breasts. (Jean Fouquet's portrayal of the Virgin Mary with her left breast uncovered is believed to have taken Sorel as a model.) During the sixteenth century, women's fashions displaying their breasts were common in society, from Queens to common prostitutes, and emulated by all classes.[7]

Similar fashions became popular in England during the seventeenth century when they were worn by Queen Mary II and by Henrietta Maria, wife of Charles I of England, for whom architect Inigo Jones designed a masque costume that fully revealed both of her breasts.[6]

Seconded!

I <3 boobs.

I'd say bring back Renaissance fashion for women only.  No fucking way do I want to see guys running around in tights and codpieces.  Hell fucking no.

Quote from: Capuloclavo on Mon, 2010-01-25 : 19:31
I'd say bring back Renaissance fashion for women only.  No fucking way do I want to see guys running around in tights and codpieces.  Hell fucking no.

You do now. They're called athletes.

hehe I always thought i belonged in that era, and this just may prove that point more so!

Quote from: Chris/Mags on Mon, 2010-01-25 : 20:38
hehe I always thought i belonged in that era, and this just may prove that point more so!

:ttuwp:

Quote from: Vitandus on Mon, 2010-01-25 : 20:47

Quote from: Chris/Mags on Mon, 2010-01-25 : 20:38
hehe I always thought i belonged in that era, and this just may prove that point more so!

:ttuwp:

/agree

Quote from: Vitandus on Mon, 2010-01-25 : 20:47

Quote from: Chris/Mags on Mon, 2010-01-25 : 20:38
hehe I always thought i belonged in that era, and this just may prove that point more so!

:ttuwp:

Thirded!

Too much cloth, no?

DO




NOT




WANT!

well FINE then Joe!

Ok, well no that isn't me, but damn if it isn't close or something. One thing to keep in mind when you speak of wanting to bring back the Ren fashion... most women weren't small and petite back then. they were strong and sturdy for the most part, minus those that had servants who didn't need to worry about doing things for themselves.

I guess that's one reason it has always appealed to me. Real women, real bodies, actual curves. God forbid!

I'm with Chris on this one.  Plump women had the wealth to have such fashions, tailored to show off their anti-milk filled boobage.  They had the food and the money for the other, slimmer, sturdier women to do their work for them.  The only time I would want plump lady boobs in my face is in my bed.  I wouldn't want my prize to parade nearly topless around.  Now, as Pat's article says, boobs weren't considered "sexual" back then.  Don't you think they would lose their deliciousness from one seeing them so often?  Porn doesn't count.  One has vocals/sounds and ass to affect arousal.  We've lost our affection for collar bones and ankles...at least to a greater degree than that of other woman-parts.

Also: curvy women are so much win.

That's a common fallacy. Women were, as today, of all sizes and shapes. Agnès Sorel and many of the famed French mistresses were of more slender body and shape. Just depended on the noble. :D

We like 'em thick, we like 'em thin, we like 'em in between.

(Side note, Chris - you do not resemble that woman at all.)

One more (but not last) thought - we really won't be able to tell which we prefer until we get some pics up in here. Corsets will be fine.