Why early woman painted the legs and painted them a line with a pencil

In 1939, the world has witnessed a major event that forever changed the fashion. The world was collapsing, shaking the Second world war, but despite this, millions of U.S. women stormed the stores to buy nylon stockings. The excitement was such that the police took custody of shopping malls in the crowd of ladies, eager invisible on the leg of the stocking, could just turn the stores into ruins.

For anybody not a secret that the 20th century gave us synthetic materials that were vital to many fields of human activity. Companies have rushed to develop polymers, made a real race of technology. Her avant-garde was an American company "DuPont de Nemours" ("E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company") or simply "DuPont."

The firm has created its own technology for the production of polymer fibers and start small. Its products have become the first synthetic dyes, and then buttons, buckles and combs. But the company is not standing still and is constantly expanding range. Over time, she began to produce more serious things — film and artificial silk.

Nylon was known before it drew the attention of specialists of the company "DuPont", however, when he has not yet had its name. This synthetic material has attracted the attention of professionals because of its unusual properties. It turned out, the polymer is stretched into a thin, almost invisible thread with which to create the finest fabric.

This property is nylon was used on 24 October 1939 the Department store in Wilmington, appeared on the market the first nylon stockings. It was a real triumph to this little-known polymeric compounds and can only regret that its Creator, chemist Wallace Carothers, just a year before, died without seeing the fantastic success of their offspring.

We know the formula of nylon, its origins, and the triumphant March across the planet, but, alas, does not know that was his name. There are several major versions, as the word was coined nylon. Some think that it was composed of the first letters of the name of the laboratory, where they were first synthesized material, and others that the name he was given two largest scientific center of the planet, new York and London (New York + London).

But, most likely, wrong neither one nor the other — most likely, the first syllable nyl - was chosen to owners of the company "DuPont" accidentally and end ‑on by analogy with other tissues, composed of fibers, such as cotton.

DuPont was not only experts in the field of chemistry, but also great marketing. Even before nylon stockings went on sale, decor around new products began to escalate. The company promised the ladies product "thinner web" and "stronger than steel". The is argued that the transition from silk stockings nylon on the same principle as changing a wagon with horses on the car.

On one of the exhibitions in the months before the premiere of the stocking, for the pavilion of DuPont hoisted a giant advertising design, which is a women's foot in nylon stocking with a height of 12 meters. In General, the time of the appearance of the product to the sale of the audience was prepared on the first day of the shelves have been swept away 4 million pairs of this novelty.

A year has sold 64 million pairs of stockings, and women lined up in long queues and staged fights to get desired product from synthetic fibers. But quickly ended and the reason for this was war.

The company DuPont was forced to relinquish its production capacity for the needs of the military industry. Instead nylon lady luck in the shops of the company began to produce products with a strategic purpose: parachute dome and slings, ropes, tents, tarpaulins for trucks, cabling and wiring products.

But ladies nylon stockings could not. If they can't buy, you can draw! The beauty here, a new service — staining the legs in color of nylon stockings. First, it was used for any suitable shade of paint, but soon the well-known cosmetics firm "Max Factor" has created a special painting composition "liquid stockings."

It was applied to the feet with brushes and rollers, but that's not all. Nylon stockings had important feature in — seam arrow in the back, on each foot. This "arrow" women painted in indelible ink after painting the legs to create the illusion of nylon accessory.

Some ladies in their quest for credibility went further and drew chemical pencils tightening and even darn the holes on the material. Fashion has become ubiquitous and given life another important procedure depilation of the legs, without which qualitatively painted the leg was simply impossible.

After the war, nylon stockings went back on sale again made happy by millions of women. This product, as befits a product of the technological century, has evolved and changed. The notorious "arrow" was the main disadvantage of the stocking seams were twisting on the leg, and often disagreed.

In the 1950‑ies was made the next breakthrough was invented nylon stockings without a "shooter". Surprisingly, the new models of products caused women outright disappointment. It had two main reasons. First, a long, thin seam visually lengthened the female foot, making it slimmer.

And secondly, "arrow" has already become a kind of sexual fetish, in a kind of "two paths leading man to the goal." Everything according to Freud, which, incidentally, quite a bit has not lived up to the first nylon stockings.

Women of the Soviet Union first saw nylon happiness only after the Second world war. But the stockings were not available to all, like good underwear. Barely appeared in the sale, they immediately turned into a deficit and steel "for the elect." For nylon stockings could learn the wives of party leaders and workers in trade — a simple citizen of the Union could about them only dream of.

Own production of nylon stockings launched only in the 70‑ies. The quality of the products, as expected, was much lower than that of their foreign counterparts. But even this Soviet ladies were very happy. The stockings were sensival to the holes, then darned or was taped and again wore until they were completely spread.

Darning stockings, by using different methods and materials. Brunette in this respect more fortunate than others — they could use to fix the accessory to your hair and make a perfect match. Some used fiber other products made of nylon, which it was impossible to revive.

Today, nylon stockings, continue to play in society an important role. They even become part of court etiquette and office dress code. A few years ago, when meeting Queen Elizabeth II and Angelina Jolie, many Britons condemned Hollywood star in contempt of tradition. Impeccably dressed in a suit, the actress ignored stockings, mandatory meetings at this level.

Most large companies require their employee wore in the workplace stockings, while the air temperature does not affect this rule. Poor office lady needs to come to work in stockings even if the temperature gets to 40 degrees. Fortunately, in recent years, technology has moved forward and appeared ultra products, a few of reducing discomfort.