In my third instalment of It’s Research I Swear, I mentioned an exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art called Reigning Men: Fashion in Menswear, 1715-2015. It covered a broad range of periods and clothing styles, but since I write stories taking place in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, I focused my visit on those pieces.
Among the formal court dress and hunting clothes, there were lounge suits, banyans and underclothes. One display contained an item that was both unique and extremely rare. While I had heard about them, they are so rare and I had not expected to see them in person. Ever.
Calf pads.
A fashion trend of the wealthy and indolent calf pads, or artificial calves, were used to make a gentleman appear more…robust… than he actually was. With knee breeches being the fashionable choice up until the 1810s, the calves were one of the more captivating aspects of the male physique. However, since gentlemen of higher rank didn’t participate in much sport, and never worked, their muscles were less defined. So men did what they had to do in order to present themselves as more physically fit and desirable. You know, besides actually participating in physical activity.
Hence, the padded calves (and shoulders, thighs, and hips, as well as cinched waists).
Somewhat known to those who research this specific time period (most of us have at least heard of them in passing), calf pads are not well known to the general public. I cannot express how lucky I felt to actually see a pair of artificial calves on display and in such good condition. The friend who accompanied me to the exhibit thought I’d gone a bit mad when I excitedly pointed them out to her.
I may have squeed.
Out loud.
In public.
Sorry Liz.
Often made of flannel, wool or parchment, they were strapped onto the leg underneath the stockings (as seen in the caricature below), or like the ones on display (seen above), sewn directly onto an understocking to smooth the material for a more “natural” appearance.
Fashion hasn’t changed much in the past 300 years. It’s not a far stretch from the padded calves of men to the padded bras of women. In the end, all this padding does is accentuate the assets on display for the benefit of the opposite (or not) sex.
I think I’ll stick with natural assets, thanks!
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