logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2024
40m 56s

Breeching: A Weird Historical Obsession ...

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

Have you ever looked at a childhood photo of a noted historical dude and thought -- huh, why did his folks put him in a dress? If so, you're seeing evidence of a strange parenting practice of yesteryear... the phenomenon known as breeching. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore how awarding a boy his first pair of pants became a rite of passage in Western society, and why it seems so strange in the modern day.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Aug 23
CLASSIC: The Strange and Spectacularly Disgusting Story of the Great Kentucky Meat Shower
On March 3rd, 1876, residents of Bath County, Kentucky were startled to see what appeared to be chunks and flakes of meat falling from the clear, cloudless sky. The rain, which only lasted a few minutes, captured national attention. People across the country proposed various theo ... Show More
35m 55s
Aug 22
The Ridiculously Energetic History of Energy Drinks!
This episode is brought to you by our favorite cohost: coffee. These days, if you stroll into any convenience store across the planet, you're going to run into a selection of energy drinks -- whether we're talking Red Bull, NOS, Monster, or our favorite pal, the humble cup of joe ... Show More
47m 1s
Aug 19
Japan is Overrun By Raccoons Entirely Due to a Single Cartoon
While the legendary Japanese raccoon dog -- or tanuki -- may look like a raccoon, it's a very different beast. However, these days Japan is home to actual raccoons: they're considered an invasive species, wreaking havoc across the country as they destroy temples, consume crops, a ... Show More
40m 57s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2020
Offbeat History: The Crash at Crush and Other Train Wreck Spectacles
In fall 2017, we talked about a strange cultural phenomenon. For a brief window from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, people in the United States were watching train wrecks for fun. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/liste ... Show More
28m 12s
Nov 2021
A tailored history of who wears what -- and why | Richard Thompson Ford
From puffy trousers to pantsuits and everything in between, law professor and author Richard Thompson Ford takes us on a fascinating tour through the history of fashion and the evolution of dress codes that still influence style today, tracing the real consequences people face fo ... Show More
11m 43s
May 2023
Tudor childhood: from dodging death to nursery rhymes
Look at a Tudor family portrait, and you’ll often find children depicted like miniature adults, standing confidently alongside their parents in their doublets and dresses. But how far is this an accurate portrayal of what childhood was like in the 16th century? Nicholas Orme, aut ... Show More
46m 55s
Feb 2018
Introducing Dressed: The History of Fashion
Every week, fashion historians April Calahan and Cassidy Zachary will take you inside the history of fashion, and explore the who, what, when of why we wear. Listen in on February 27 for the first episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com 
2m 4s
Sep 2021
The History of High Heels
High heels have been around since as early as the 10th century. Today we see them as a cornerstone of footwear fashion, with models strutting their stuff on the catwalk in heels of varying colours and styles. But how has this impractical, even masochistic piece of design become s ... Show More
52m 18s
Jun 2024
459. The Suit, Savile Row, and Smartly Dressed Men
"His clothes seemed to melt into each other with the perfection of their cut and the quiet harmony of their colour. Without a single point of emphasis, everything was distinguished"The suit has long served as the official attire of men in Britain, Europe and the Western World. Tr ... Show More
1 h
Jun 2023
Behind the Scenes Minis: Square Dancing on a Wire
Holly and Tracy talk about Barbette's identity and speculation about his life. They also share stories of square dancing in school as kids. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
26m 14s
Dec 2018
The Rise of the Straw Hat and the Riot of 1922
The Straw Hat Riot of 1922 is a strange piece of history, and it all centered around the boater hat. How did how the boater become so important to men’s fashion in the early 20th century? And how did that lead to a very bizarre conflict in the 1920s? Learn more about your ad-choi ... Show More
29m 33s
Feb 2012
The Fairy Tale Life of Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen is often considered the father of the modern fairy tale, but his life was not the quiet existence depicted in his photos. His personal life is fairly bizarre, and he is sometimes compared to his own outcast fairy tale figures. Learn more about your ad-choi ... Show More
28m 18s
Aug 2022
Kissing Cousins: A History of Marrying Family
Despite the overall creepiness of it, marrying family members is way more common than you might think, both historically and today. Ewwww!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
49m 34s