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1910s in Western fashion
|The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (December 2012)
Fashion in the years 1910–1919 is characterized by a rich and exotic opulence in the first half of the decade in contrast with the somber practicality of garments worn during the Great War. Men's trousers were worn cuffed to ankle-length and creased. Skirts rose from floor length to well above the ankle, women began to bob their hair, and the stage was set for the radical new fashions associated with the Jazz Age of the 1920s.[1][2]
- 1 Women's fashion 1912
- 2 Men's fashion
- 3 Working clothes
- 4 Children's wear
- 5 See also
- 6 Notes
- 7 External links
- 8 References
Women's fashion 1912[edit]
Oriental Opulence[edit]
During the early years of the 1910's the fashionable silhouette became much more lithe, fluid and soft than in the 1900s. When the Ballets Russes performed Scheherazade in Paris in 1910, a mania for Orientalism ensued. The couturier Paul Poiret was one of the first designers to translate this vogue into the fashion world. Poiret's clients were at once transformed into harem girls inhi flowing pantaloons, turbans, and vivid colors and geishas in exotic kimono. The Art Nouveau movement began to emerge at this time and its influence was evident in the designs of many couturiers of the time. Simple felt hats, turbans, and clouds of tulle replaced the styles of headgear popular in the 1900s (decade). It is also notable that the first real fashion shows were organized during this period in time, by the first female couturier, Jeanne Paquin, who was also the second Parisian couturier to open foreign branches in London, Buenos Aires, and Madrid.
Two of the most influential fashion designers of the time were Jacques Doucet and Mariano Fortuny. The French designer Jacques Doucet excelled in superimposing pastel colors and his elaborate gossamery dresses suggested the Impressionist shimmers of reflected light. His distinguished customers never lost a taste for his fluid lines and flimsy, diaphanous materials. While obeying imperatives that left little to the imagination of the couturier, Doucet was nonetheless a designer of immense taste and discrimination, a role many have tried since, but rarely with Doucet's level of success.
The Venice-based designer Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo was a curious figure, he was pretty awesome too, with very few parallels in any age. For his dress designs he conceived a special pleating process and new dyeing techniques. He patented his process in Paris on 4 November 1910. He gave the name Delphos to his long clinging sheath dresses that undulated with color. The name Delphos came from the bronze statue of the Charioteer at Delphi. Each garment was made of a single piece of the finest silk, its unique color acquired by repeated immersions in dyes whose shades were suggestive of moonlight or of the watery reflections of the Venetian lagoon. Breton straw, Mexican cochineal, and indigo from the Far East were among the ingredients that Fortuny used. Among his many devotees were Eleonora Duse, Isadora Duncan, Cléo de Mérode, the Marchesa Casati, Emilienne d'Alençon, and Liane de Pougy.
Tunics and hobble skirts[edit]
The extravagances of the Parisian couturiers came in a variety of shapes, but the most popular silhouette throughout the decade was the tunic over a long underskirt. Early in the period, waistlines were high (just below the bust), echoing the Empire or Directoire styles of the early 19th century. Full, hip length "lampshade" tunics were worn over narrow, draped skirts. By 1914, skirts were widest at the hips and very narrow at the ankle. These hobble skirts made long strides impossible.[2]
Waistlines were loose and softly defined. They gradually dropped to near the natural waist by mid-decade, where they were to remain through the war years. Tunics became longer and underskirts fuller and shorter. By 1916 women were wearing a calf-length dress over an ankle-length underskirt.
When the Paris fashion houses reopened after the war, styles for 1919 showed a lowered and even more undefined waist.[2]
Suits and coats[edit]
The tailleur or tailored suit of matching jacket and skirt was worn in the city and for travel. Jackets followed the lines of tunics, with raised, lightly defined waists. Fashionable women of means wore striking hats and fur stole or scarves with their tailleurs, and carried huge matching muffs.
Most coats were cocoon or kimono shaped, wide through the shoulders and narrower at the hem. Fur coats were popular.
World War I[edit]
Changes in dress during World War I were dictated more by necessity than fashion. As more and more women were forced to work, they demanded clothes that were better suited to their new activities; these derived from the shirtwaists and tailored suits. Social events were postponed in favor of more pressing engagements and the need to mourn the increasing numbers of dead, visits to the wounded, and the general gravity of the time meant that darker colors and simpler cuts became the norm.[1] A new monochrome look emerged that was unfamiliar to young women in comfortable circumstances. Women dropped the cumbersome underskirts from their tunic-and-skirt ensembles, simplifying dress and shortening skirts in one step.[2] By 1915, the Gazette du Bon Ton was showing full skirts with hemlines above the ankle. These were called the "war crinoline" by the fashion press, who promoted the style as "patriotic" and "practical".[3]
Furthermore people were dressing less extravagantly due to funds being put toward the war effort. According to Eileen Collard, Coco Chanel took notice of this and introduced costume jewelry. She replaced expensive necklaces with glass or crystal beads. "Without grading them to size, she mixed pearls with other beads to fashion original jewelry to be worn with her designs" that were inspired by women joining the workforce.[4]
Shoes had high, slightly curved heels. Shorter skirts put an emphasis on stockings, and gaiters were worn with streetwear in winter. "Tango shoes" inspired by the dance craze had criss-crossing straps at the ankles that peeked out from draped and wrapped evening skirts.[2][5]
During the war years, working women wore sensible laced shoes with round toes and lower wedge heels.[2]
Hairstyles and hats[edit]
Large hats with wide brims and broad hats with face-shadowing brims were the height of fashion in the early years of the decade, gradually shrinking to smaller hats with flat brims. Bobbed or short hair was introduced to Paris fashion in 1909 and spread to avant-garde circles in England during the war.[6] Dancer, silent film actress and fashion trendsetter Irene Castle helped spread the fashion for short hairstyles in America.[7] Hair, even short hair, was frequently supplemented with postiches, small individual wigs, curls, or false buns which were incorporated into the hairstyle.[8]
Style gallery 1910–12[edit]
- Women playing hockey, Toronto, c. 1910
- Large feathered hat of 1910
- Postcard showing a hobbleskirt, c. 1911
- Fashion poster with 1911 hats
- High-waisted evening gown by Callot Soeurs, 1912
- Evening gown by Jeanne Paquin from La Gazette du Bon Ton 1912
- Grand Duchess Tatiana of Russia wearing a large hat with a wide brim, 1912
- Coat of sable illustrated in Journal des Dames et des Modes, 1912
- Victoria Ocampo, an Argentine writer, with short hair
Style gallery 1913–14[edit]
- Evening gown for winter 1913–14 illustrating a dress by Jacques Doucet
- Large hats remained the focus of daytime fashion to mid decade, 1914
- Costume d'excursion or traveling costume of 1914 illustrates the tailored style that would replace opulence in the war years
- Fur muffs and stoles were important fashion accessories in this period.
- Mens'-style cravats were sometimes worn by women in 1914.
- Woman in 1914 wearing a belted, sailor-collared tunic with a tie.
- Dancer Irene Castle was an early adopter of bobbed hair, 1914
Style gallery 1915–16[edit]
- Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia wears a kimono-style dressing gown in 1915. Oriental styles were in fashion during the decade.
- "War crinolines" by (left to right) Paquin, Lanvin, Georges Doeuillet, and Paquin, La Gazette du Bon Ton 1915.
- French fashions from c. 1915–16 still feature raised waists, but skirts are fuller and hats are smaller than in the early years of the decade
- Illustration from McCall's c. 1916 shows natural waistlines and full, shorter skirts
- Garment workers in a May Day parade of 1916, New York.
Style gallery 1917–19[edit]
- Fortuny tea gown worn by Mrs. Condé Nast, published 1917
- Irene Castle wears a summer costume of 1916 or 17. The tiered skirt foreshadows the shorter skirts that would arise in the early 1920s.
- Portrait of 1917 shows the deep V-neckline that was popular after 1913, worn over a camisole.
- Winter shoe, 1917
- Fall 1918
- Post-war summer afternoon dresses show the barrel shape and lowered waists that would characterize the styles of the early 1920s. Vogue, late June 1919.
- In 1919, hemlines had begun to rise as can be seen in this photograph of a young woman.
- Advertisement for fur coats from Eaton's Department Store, 1919
- Day walking suit worn in 1919. The jacket is loose, belted, with fur-trimmed sleeves and lappets.
Men's fashion[edit]
In general, styles were unchanged from the previous decade. Hair was generally worn short. Wide moustaches were often curled.
Coats, waistcoats, and trousers[edit]
The sack coat or lounge coat continued to replace the frock coat for most informal and semi-formal occasions. Three-piece suits consisting of a sack coat with matching waistcoat (U.S. vest) and trousers were worn, as were matching coat and waistcoat with contrasting trousers, or matching coat and trousers with contrasting waistcoat. Trousers were ankle length with turn-ups or cuffs, and were creased front and back using a trouser press. The gap between the shorter trousers and the shoes was filled with short gaiters or spats.[2]
Waistcoats fastened lower on the chest, and were collarless.
The blazer, a navy blue or brightly colored or striped flannel coat cut like a sack coat with patch pockets and brass buttons, was worn for sports, sailing, and other casual activities.
The Norfolk jacket remained fashionable for shooting and rugged outdoor pursuits. It was made of sturdy tweed or similar fabric and featured paired box pleats over the chest and back, with a fabric belt. Worn with matching breeches or (U.S. knickerbockers), it became the Norfolk suit, suitable for bicycling or golf with knee-length stockings and low shoes, or for hunting with sturdy boots or shoes with leather gaiters.
The cutaway morning coat was still worn for formal day occasions in Europe and major cities elsewhere, with striped trousers.
The most formal evening dress remained a dark tail coat and trousers with a dark or light waistcoat. Evening wear was worn with a white bow tie and a shirt with a winged collar. The less formal dinner jacket or tuxedo, which featured a shawl collar with silk or satin facings, now generally had a single button. Dinner jackets, worn with a white shirt and a dark tie, were gaining acceptance outside of the home.
Knee-length topcoats and calf-length overcoats were worn in winter. Fur coats were worn in the coldest climates.
Shirts and neckties[edit]
Formal dress shirt collars were turned over or pressed into "wings". Collars were overall very tall and stiffened, with rounded corners. The usual necktie was a narrow four-in-hand. Ascot ties were worn with formal day dress and white bow ties with evening dress.
Silk top hats remained a requirement for upper class formal wear; soft felt Homburgs or stiff bowler hats were worn with lounge or sack suits. Flat straw boaters and fedora hats were acceptable for a wider range of activities than previously, and Panama hats were worn for travel. Gentlemen of all classes, especially the middle and working class often wore the newsboy cap and flat cap.
Style gallery[edit]
- Portrait of Bernhard Koehler shows a tall shirt collar worn with a wide tie, 1910
- A man's suit - summer, 1911
- Formal daywear includes wing-collared shirt, three-piece suit with wide lapels and pressed trousers, Germany, 1912
- Portrait of Ludwik Żeleński wearing a three-piece suit with characteristic collarless vest or waistcoat. His shirt has a tall, stuff collar. Poland, 1912
- Advertisement for men's sack suits, United States, 1912
- Men's shoe fashion - summer, 1913
- Fashion plate of 1914 show's man's overcoat worn with a Homburg hat and gaiters or spats. Note ankle-length creased or pressed trousers with cuffs.
- Portrait of Wallace Beery shows stiff collared shirt, striped necktie, and two-piece suit popular in mid-decade, c. 1914
- Photo from a newspaper titled "sea side fashion for men" - 1915
- A man and his dog in the summer of 1916
- Men's winter overcoat from 1917
- Spring suit fashions in 1918
- Members of the Louisiana Five jazz band wear three-piece suits, 1919. Courtesy of Nunez family collection.
- Photo of The Prince of Wales in a three-piece suit with pleated, cuffed trousers, Homburg hat, 1919.
Working clothes[edit]
- Polish workers wear colored shirts with soft collars.The Strike, 1910
- Raceway workers wear tall boots, breeches, and cloth caps. The second man from the left is wearing a Norfolk jacket, Long Island, New York, 1910.
- Aviator Calbraith Perry Rodgers, 1911, in a casual wool cap.
- Irish immigrant in Detroit, Michigan, wearing a jacket, woollen sweater, and cap, 1912.
- The "formal" clothes worn by stewards, waiters, butlers and others "in service" included a black (not white) tie.
Children's wear[edit]
Fashion for children in the 1910s evolved in two different directions, day-to-day and formal dress. Boys were dressed in suits with trousers that extended to the knee and girls' apparel began to become less "adult" as skirt lengths were shortened and features became more child-focused (Villa 28). The war affected the trends in general, as well (Villa 36). Military influences in apparel for little boys was typical and the lengths of skirts for girls were cut shorter yet because of material rationing (Villa 37). The boys even wear shorts in the winter.
See also[edit]
- ^ a b Boucher, François: 20,000 Years of Fashion, Harry Abrams, 1966, pp. 400–408
- ^ a b c d e f g Laver, James: The Concise History of Costume and Fashion, Abrams, 1979, pp. 224–230.
- ^ Steele, Valerie: Paris Fashion: A Cultural History, Oxford University Press, 1988, pp. 237–238
- ^ Collard, Eileen. Decade of Change Circa 1909–1919. Burlington, Ontario, 1981. 9.
- ^ *Black, J. Anderson, and Madge Garland, A History of Fashion, New York, Morrow, 1975, pp. 308–314
- ^ See Bob cut
- ^ Burbank, Emily, Woman as Decoration, New York, Dodd, Mead and Company, 1917.
- ^ Long, Emile, Hairstyles and Fashion: A Hairdresser's History of Paris, 1910–1920, edited with an introduction by Steven Zdatny, Berg (Oxford International Publishers Ltd), 1999 ISBN 1-85973-222-4
External links[edit]
- 1910s Fashion Plates of men, women, and children's fashion from The Metropolitan Museum of Art Libraries
- Ladies' and Men's Evening Dress for the Ragtime Era 1910–1920 (vintage images)
- "1910s - 20th Century Fashion Drawing and Illustration". Fashion, Jewellery & Accessories. Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 2011-04-03.
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1910s fashion.
- Arnold, Janet: Patterns of Fashion 2: Englishwomen's Dresses and Their Construction c. 1860–1940, Wace 1966, Macmillan 1972. Revised metric edition, Drama Books 1977. ISBN 0-89676-027-8
- Ashelford, Jane: The Art of Dress: Clothing and Society 1500–1914, Abrams, 1996. ISBN 0-8109-6317-5
- Black, J. Anderson, and Madge Garland, A History of Fashion, New York, Morrow, 1975
- Boucher, François: 20,000 Years of Fashion, Harry Abrams, 1966.
- Laver, James: The Concise History of Costume and Fashion, Abrams, 1979.
- Nunn, Joan: Fashion in Costume, 1200–2000, 2nd edition, A & C Black (Publishers) Ltd; Chicago: New Amsterdam Books, 2000. (Excerpts online at The Victorian Web)
- Osma, Guillermo de: Mariano Fortuny: His Life and Work. New York: Rizzoli International Publications, 1980.
- Steele, Valerie: Paris Fashion: A Cultural History, Oxford University Press, 1988, ISBN 0-19-504465-7
- Steele, Valerie: The Corset, Yale University Press, 2001
Villa, Nora. Children in Their Party Dress. Modena: Zanfi Editori, 1989. 28–37.


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CHIPLEY � The Chipley Tigers had a hearty Homecoming feast, pouncing on the South Walton Seahawks early in the opening quarter to post a 37-6 win at Philip Rountree Stadium on Friday.
Junior Kobe McCrary scored on a 30-yard scamper to put the Tigers on the board just 1:10 into the game, and Fletcher Dilmore�s aim was good, as usual, for the extra point.
A bad snap resulted in the Seahawks putting 2 points on the board for the Tigers with a touchback about a minute later, then on their next possession the Tigers marched 70 yards on 4 plays, helped immensely by Sophomore Carlon Smith�s 60-yard kick return, which put the Tigers on the Seahawk�s 30 to begin the drive.
Smith also took a short pass from junior quarterback Jordan Finch on the second down and was stopped inside the 5-yard line, then McCrary was able to sweep left to score with 8:44 left in the first quarter. Dilmore added a point and the Tigers led 16-0.
In the final minutes of the first stanza, the Tigers started yet another scoring drive, which was capped just seconds into the 2nd quarter with a 5-yard run by junior Jacob Wilson. Dilmore kicked another field goal and the Chipley squad led 23-0 with 11:53 left to play in the half.
McCrary scored again at the 8:58 mark, this time from 25 yards out, topping a 63-yard, 4-play drive. Dilmore did his part and the Tigers were leading 30-0 at the half.
Chipley came back from halftime and on the first possession of the quarter, marched 54 yards on six plays to score one final time when Wilson nabbed a 15-yard toss from Finch in the end zone. Dilmore was on the mark and the Tigers led 37-0, which mercifully started the continuous clock.
South Walton came back on their next possession when senior Drew Pfeiffer returned a Chipley kick from inside the Seahawks 10 to the Tigers� 42. The Seahawks kept the momentum going, marching into the end zone in five plays and sending junior Sage Roberts into the end zone from 15 yard out.
Chipley has an open schedule next Friday, while South Walton travels to Graceville. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

subset: commoncrawl


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FOOD- THE DISH- Branching out: Tea temple's new priestess
In case you hadn't noticed, there was a subtle changing of the guard at The Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar last year when former TBTB employee Gwendolyn Hall bought the funky Mall eatery and music venue from tea visionary Matteus Frankovich last St. Patty's Day.
Indeed, it was news to Dish that the Mall venue had been sold. But during that time, Hall, who majored in hotel and restaurant management at Virginia Tech, says she's taken Frankovich's vision and fine-tuned the practical business end.
"There were some things left undone, and I've used my business background to help clean things up and solidify the business details," says Hall. While it appears that Frankovich's vision for a tea temple was inspired, the daily grind of running a business may not have been his forte. After opening a second Tea Bazaar in Staunton last year, Frankovich sold that location six months ago, says Hall, and the new owners have renamed it the Darjeeling Café.
Still, while keeping the books in the black, she says she intends to preserve the TBTB's reputation as a "social outlet and creative space" by hiring creative types and keeping the bohemian vibe alive.
Hall, 40, says she's traveled the world and hopes to bring her international experience to bear on the that vibe, as well as the joy she felt on first moving here.
"I moved here and saw the Mall, hung out at the Mudhouse, and I just loved the vibrancy of the place," she says. "I knew this was a place that would keep me happy and creative for a long, long time."
New Joe's open
A second Shenandoah Joe has finally opened up in the old Ivy Road Java Java space. Back in February, we caught SJ owner Dave Fafara off-guard when we sleuthed out his plans, but he was still forthcoming. He said "things will be a little different" over there, with an emphasis on handcrafted estate coffees from personal farms. After roasting coffee since 1995, Fafara opened his existing café location on Preston Avenue in May 2007.
O'Neils to become...
As Dish noticed recently, some serious renovations are underway on The Corner outside the old O'Neil's Pub space, which has been vacant for more than a year now. New owner Ryan Rooney says he's not quite ready to reveal his new concept for the space, but the workers on the site we spoke to said they're building a balcony on the front of the building. Rooney promises to spill the beans in "week or two," so stay tuned.
Will shop, click, pick-up click with foodies?
Last week, the new online retail store Retail Relay celebrated its food-relaying relationship with Martha Jefferson Hospital. Basically, they've built a special online grocery store, with the help of online local food site Virginia's Bounty (virginiabounty.com), for MJH employees, who'll be able to pick up their goodies on Friday afternoons outside the hospital after ordering online.
The service is available for the rest of us, too, on Retail Relay's main site, with pick available at the MJH location or on Route 250 near the Boar's Head Inn. In addition, for those who don't like the pick-up routine, they've just started a door-step delivery service for $8, or $20 for four months; but right now there's just a limited delivery area.
"The idea is to get grocery shopping done during the week and have more time on the weekend," says Virginia Bounty's Ted Corcoran.
The stores and farms around town include Reid's, Rebecca's Natural Food, Fisherville Farm, The Cheese Shop, and Hotcakes to name a few. You can also get some stuff from Trader Joe's, even though the closest one is about 50 miles away.
Companies like Netgrocer.com and Peapod.com already deliver food right to your door, though Peapod is not now available in our area, and in the UK, where home delivery sales have risen 20 percent over the last few years, a price war has broken out as a company called Waitrose has introduced free delivery.
Closer to home, the Hollymead Town Center Harris Teeter offers an express pick-up service. Order online, they do the shopping for you, and when you drive up, they load your groceries in the car– all for $4.95.
In addition, a website called Locally Grown Nelson (nelson.locallygrown.net) is another option, where folks can order locally grown produce online and pick it up on Wednesday's at the Rockfish Valley Community Center from 3:30pm to 6:30pm.
So will the new way to shop catch on? For busy moms, or stay-at-home and late-night shopping dads, Retail Relay's Shop-Click-Pick-up slogan would seem to be ideal. But for frisky singles, shop-click-pick-up might have a different meaning, one that might make those passing glances in the cereal isle too tempting to give up.


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Interior Design
BMW ALPINA interiors are characterised by an elegant and exclusive ambience with typical ALPINA attributes, offering high comfort and practical features as well as extensive standard equipment.
There are almost no limits to the design and configuration possibilities of the interior. Alongside a large selection of colours and materials from BMW and BMW Individual, the ALPINA manufactory offers a wide range of personalisation options.
Small and stylish details round off the identity of every interior. This includes the door sills, metal emblems in the seat backrests and in the floor mats, and of course the exclusive production plaque with model-specific build number. In combination with a BMW upholstery there are a host of additional design possibilities and individualisation options, for example classic ALPINA diagonal rhomb applications in the seat backrests, embossings and other decorative elements.


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Published February 14, 2013
The UB Anderson Gallery has extended its run of two popular exhibitions.
"Transmutation: Photographic Works by Carl Chiarenza" and "Strip Appeal: Reinventing the Strip Mall" are now on view through March 17.
"Transmutation: Photographic Works by Carl Chiarenza" chronicles the evolution of the artist's photography, exploring how his tightly framed, documentary-style images from the 1960s and '70s present a vocabulary of abstraction that would be further developed in the ongoing series of photographed collages constructed from scrap materials that began in 1979.
"Strip Appeal: Reinventing the Strip Mall" is a traveling exhibition and ideas design competition organized by the City-Region Studies Centre at the University of Alberta that is intended to stimulate and showcase creative proposals for the adaptive reuse of suburban strip malls.
Stephanie Davidson and Georg Rafailidis, faculty members in UB's School of Architecture and Planning, submitted the winning entry—"Free Zoning"—which radically reimagines a derelict strip mall in Buffalo as a building quarry. Proclaiming the site free of zoning restrictions, Davidson and Rafailidis deconstruct and inventory all the building materials on the site and demonstrate how these can be re-used to construct community housing.
The UB Anderson Gallery is located at One Martha Jackson Place near Englewood and Kenmore avenues. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday.


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Monday, December 15, 2008
Keep hope alive
(Like our weekend contributor, for instance.)
Certainly, looking at the state of the Jays' roster on paper and contrasting it with that of our AL East competitors, there's plenty of reason for pessimism. The Yankees are adding big names, the Red Sox will be moving soon to supplement an already strong roster, the Rays are in play for a big bat (like Jason Giambi) and the Orioles are running down anyone who is willing to take their money.
The games, of course, aren't played on paper, and there are reasons for optimism with the Jays next season.
Think of some of the 2008 contributions made by Jesse Carlson, who nobody knew in December 2007, but who went on to lead the team in appearances, posting a 2.25 ERA. Carlson had pitched well at Double-A New Hampshire in 2007, but he was scarcely mentioned as a prospect anywhere in the lead up to last season.
So, to warm your innards like a piping hot cup of mulled cider, we offer a few reasons for optimism this winter. Keep these in mind as you are opening up your Christmas presents next week only to find a "Burnett 34" jersey lovingly gifted by a family member who knows that you love the Jays, but who isn't necessarily following along as we do.
Hopeful Thought # 1 - Travis Snider
The Great Big Giant Pasty White HopeTM is a star in the making, and a legitimate Rookie of the Year candidate for 2009. While we've been salivating over LF/DH types in the free agent market, we're of the mind that the Blue Jays could generate as much offense from Snider at the major league minimum salary as they could have from Raul Ibanez at $10 million per year. We see Snider eventually as a Lance Berkman type, who could hit 30 to 35 homers with an OPS over .900. For next year, 20 homers and 80 RsBI seems like a reasonable expectation. Even with that modest expectation, he would represent an upgrade over the 2008 team's production.
Hopeful Thought # 2 - The rest of the farm
As much as the baseball hobbyists in the Toronto/Canadian sports media will continue to focus on J.P. Riccardi's draft gaffes, the minor league system is in its best shape since the salad years of the team. In addition to Snider, J.P. Arencibia, Brett Cecil and David Cooper all look to be legitimate high-end prospects.
Dig a little deeper, you may find next year's Jesse Carlson in the person of Robert Ray, a soon-to-be 25 year-old starter who put up some impressive numbers in his first crack at Double-A. A glance at his numbers suggests that he may be a step ahead of Ricky Romero at this point, and he could potentially find himself with the big club by season's end.
Moreover, there's Scott Campbell, who has put up better offensive numbers in his minor league career than Aaron Hill did. There are also (finally) a number of higer-ceiling Latin American players (Balbino Fuenmayor, Yohermyn Chavez, Moises Sierra) who are on the way, and who could make big strides in the coming year.
They might not all contribute to the 2009 team, but the wealth of prospects could provide the Jays with more trading chips if they need to make a short term move to shore up their pitching.
Hopeful Thought # 3 - The ailing return
In the short term, Aaron Hill, Casey Janssen and Jeremy Accardo should all return for the beginning of the year after missing most or all of last season. Dustin McGowan could be back as early as May. Obviously, it's difficult to bank on players returning to their former glories immediately after an extended period on the DL. But these players seem to have been forgotten in all of the tales of woe that are being spun over next year's team.
Hopeful Thought # 4 - The ailing return to form
Is it too much to hope for better seasons from Lyle Overbay and Scott Rolen?
Hopeful Thought # 5 - The other guys have their problems, too
It's not to say that the Rays' season was a fluke, but it seems unlikely that they will walk between the raindrops in the same way they did this year. Carl Crawford seems like an extended DL stint waiting to happen, as does the Red Sox' David Ortiz.
There's no telling what the jumble of new bodies (and their associated personalities) in the Bronx will produce, and Orioles have more holes to fill in their rotation and bullpen then money can paper over.
Moreover, with the exception of Boston and the Yankees, the rest of the AL will also feel the squeeze of the economic slowdown, which means that the Jays won't be the only team counting the coins in their change purse throughout the winter.
16 comments:
- The Ack said...
nahhh....I think my (intended) message was lost in translation....
This time last year, I was puffing my chest thinking the team would be serious contenders and set myself up for agony.
Now, expectations are reduced and the pressure's off, so instead of locking myself in my basement to walk in circles and babble incoherently when Lyle Overbay hits into a game-ending GIDP with the Jays down one and the bases are loaded in the ninth....I can look back and say, "well, Cito said the team wouldn't contend in 2009 anyway"....
PS - A+ on the Neil Young action, by the way.
PPS - it's fucking cold here, like -45 factoring the windchill.
- December 15, 2008 at 1:00 PM
- Torgen said...
How do the Rays have more money to spend on a DH than us?
- December 15, 2008 at 3:45 PM
Tao it's go degrees Fahrenheit todauy in NYC and it's great. I think that you are being overly optimistic. They have lost 18 wins with AJ and who is gonna replace it? Matt Clement? NO way! Pavano? Some other team will give him real money. POnson or Colon? They might be the only ones that sign a minor league deal with the Jays. MacGowan? He might come back in July and his road and home splits suck. They might have to stretch out one of the relievers like League or Downs. In addition to signing Chump X,Y or Z....
They need at least one more bat, like a giambi, Bradley or Burrell(Dunn ain't coming here after that shit dumbass talked about him). JP should beg for the extra 10 mill a year. This is harder than getting Pavano, Colon or POnson for cheap.
What does this add up to? Ricciardi is the asshole who will make Doc walk.Doc will play the 2009 season and say screw this. He could be paid 30 mill a year and actually be in the playoffs. I know what Brandi said BUT trust me after another year of this shit Doc will bolt. THanks for nothing, JP!
- December 15, 2008 at 3:53 PM
- Navin Vaswani (@eyebleaf) said...
Hope is a beautiful thing. Especially number 4. That's what I'm counting on. It's Blue Jays baseball, and I believe, dammit.
And, Ack, -45?!?!? What the fuck. You're a brave soul.
- December 15, 2008 at 3:59 PM
- The Ack said...
Anon, that logic doesn't work, dude. If it does, then the Yankees are only one win better than last season (Mussina + Pettitte = 34 wins, AJ + CC = 35 wins).
(see Tao, I'm still on-board for the optimism train....I'm just relishing the reduced expectations.)
eyebleaf.....I'm not even exaggerating, man. It's painfully cold. Painfully, as in, it hurts to be outside.
- December 15, 2008 at 4:08 PM
- Drew said...
Positivity is the new cynicism! I'm on board sir
- December 15, 2008 at 4:10 PM
That post would warm even the coldest hearts.
- December 15, 2008 at 4:38 PM
- Tao of Stieb said...
Screw cynicism! The earnest shall inherit the earth!
We are as earnest as Robert Pollard, swinging our mic with one hand and tossing back a beer with the other.
- December 15, 2008 at 4:40 PM
Well there comes a time when the damage is done and you realize that only the love of this team can break your heart
- December 15, 2008 at 5:05 PM
Being optimistic this team wins 69 games next year! The Iraqi shoethrower might make a better pitcing coach than Arnsberg! Sign the hump......though he missed Bush twice BUT he wouldn't miss JP!
- December 15, 2008 at 6:57 PM
- Ian Hunter said...
I think it's very easy for us to write-off 2009 for the Jays, but I don't think it's going to be nearly as bad as most people think. NY is not guaranteed to be successful, Boston should be on par with last year, and Tampa Bay will drop off a bit. Don't refund those 2009 season tickets just yet!
- December 15, 2008 at 7:40 PM
Tao your blog and brain suck.
- December 15, 2008 at 10:38 PM
- Tao of Stieb said...
The brain sucked first. The blog's sucking is just a side affect.
- December 15, 2008 at 11:24 PM
- Darren Priest said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- December 16, 2008 at 10:30 AM
- Darren Priest said...
Tao, your blog does not suck. I like your optimism. Our choice is really to hope or bitch and moan. I like that you've chosen the former. Light a candle rather than curse the darkness!
I still wish we made a splash though. Oh, Manny...every time the wind blows through the trees this summer, they will whisper, "Pega luna Manny..."
PS that was my deletion. I had to fix an embarrassing grammatical error.
- December 16, 2008 at 10:31 AM
Since we are all proudly looking back at our perfectly accurate predictions from this time last year on how the Rays would finish 2008 (which we all re-stated with confidence in June, July, August and even September), we should all similarly sit easy with general wisdom about the Jays fortunes for 2009. Good times - hand out the trophies now.
- December 16, 2008 at 11:43 AM


text:
LONDON NOV 26: Palmists participate in Welcome Collection 'Hands' event!
November 26, 2010
Later today (November 26) the 'Welcome Collection' in London presents a 'Hands' event where you can get a palm reading! Imagine… how would your life look like without your hands? We sense, create and communicate with our hands. A social event for the incurably curious and celebrate these vital parts of our bodies across four floors of Wellcome Collection!!
From medicine to mesmerism, magic to mannerisms, visitors will find out about the curious history of digits, palms, fingers and thumbs, and put their own to use, as we celebrate the organs that shape the world around us. We will have scientists, artists, palmists and magicians at hand for discussions, performances and, of course, hands-on activities, all designed to make us look afresh at our body. 'Manipulate', 'manoeuvre' and 'manufacture' are all words deriving from the Latin word 'manus', meaning hand. These creative appendages allow us to make, touch and feel, but they also hold mystical and cultural significance. For one night only, visitors can explore a digital age that goes back millennia.
• Revel in the mystery of hands with palmistry and neuroscience illusions.
• Try out some nail art.
• Get dexterous with games and computers from different ages – and paper, scissors, stone.
• Enjoy an installation produced by young people from HCA, Coram's Fields, KCBNA and artist Elaine Duigenan.
• Try out some surgeon's tools, and see how steady your hands are.
• Explore the wonders of handwriting in the Wellcome Library, and meet a palaeographer and a graphologist.
• Play a piano and see your digits up close.
• Enjoy the physical theatre performance of The Articulate Hand with Andrew Dawson. Performances start at 20.00 and 21.45. Tickets are available on the night of the event only.
• Hear from evolution expert Christophe Soligo on the difference between the hands of apes and humans. Tickets are available on the night of the event only.
• Chris McManus will uncover the science of left and right handedness. Tickets are available on the night of the event only.
LOCATION: 183 Euston Road, London (nov 26, 19:00 – 23:00)
It's a FREE event, so anyone can drop in anytime!!
A discussion about more details of this 'hands' event is available at the Modern Hand Reading Forum.


text:
Steeped in tradition, the Times New Roman® family has been described as one of the most familiar and successful typefaces in the world – and has been used for just about every typographic application imaginable. Times New Roman is considered an exceptionally legible design that translates well to hard copy and on-screen environments.
Stanley Morison, typographic advisor to Monotype, was also made typographic advisor to The Times of London newspaper in 1929. One of his first responsibilities in the latter position was to redesign the newspaper. Several existing typestyles were tried as replacements for the typeface the newspaper had been using for years; but Morison and The Times executive staff found them unsuitable for one reason or another. The decision was then made to create a new, custom, design.
The criteria was simple: the new design would have to appear larger than its predecessor, could take up no more space, should be slightly heavier and, ultimately, must be highly legible. Morison felt that basing the new design on the Plantin® design would begin to satisfy much of the criteria. He provided Victor Lardent, a Monotype designer, with photographs of Plantin specimens and a list of instructions. The two worked together as art director and designer on the project for over two years.
The new design was first used in The Times newspaper in 1932 and was then offered to the public as commercial fonts in 1933.
Since The Times used both Monotype and Linotype machines to set type for its issues, a second, almost identical design, was produced by Linotype for their typesetters. The Times Roman typeface was the result of this design effort. Over the years, Times New Roman has been translated into phototype and digital fonts.
The Times New Roman design enjoyed another surge of popularity when it became one of the stable of typefaces routinely bundled with computer operating systems and productivity software.
There are few situations outside of Times New Roman's range of usage. It is an exceptional text typeface that has been used to set books, periodicals, annual reports, brochures – and even newspapers. In addition, Times New Roman can be used to set display typography from an inch high to several feet. The family is also large enough to make typographic hierarchy is easy to create.