May 20 - Sunday
World Metrology Day
World Traumatologist Day
Bather
1570 Antwerp prints the world's first geographical atlas
1742 Russian navigator Semyon Chelyuskin on dog sledges reached the northernmost tip of Eurasia
1873 Birthday of the jeans
The history of jeans wear has more than 200 years. More than one generation has grown in these practical pants. The first patented jeans were released in America by a man named Levi Strauss in 1850 and sold at a price of 1 dollar 46 cents per pair.
They were sturdy trousers made of canvas, with seams reinforced with a double stitch, with many pockets. Pants were popular with Californian gold diggers. The first industrial party dispersed instantly. And after a while, Strauss organized a company in San Francisco, "Levi Strauss & Co" for sewing work clothes.
On May 20, 1873 Levi Strauss & Co received a license for the sole right to produce trousers with rivets on pockets. This date is considered the official birthday of jeans. In 1886 on the jeans "Levi's" appears the famous leather label.
The working people quickly appreciated the strength and practicality of the new trousers. Shortly after the launch of production, the company moved from gray fabric to attractive and strong blue material, called "denim", that is, "from Nimes", a French city.
The "indigo" paint that was stained with Levi's trouser fabric was prepared on the basis of natural ingredients and was very expensive. German chemist Adolf von Baeyer in 1878 invented a synthetic substitute for indigo, which significantly reduced the cost of jeans.
The Levi's brand was out of competition until the mid-20th century, when Lee, Wrangler and Cooper appeared. In addition, in the second half of the 20th century, the market for jeans was mastered by such companies as Calvin Klein, Diesel, Gap, Guess, Mustang, Polo, Tommy Hilfinger, Zara. Jeans became fashionable clothes for representatives of all ages and estates.
By the way, jeans with a zipper on the fly appeared in 1926. In 1981, Levi's first issued jeans for women. In 1995, the "stretch" jeans appeared. Every year, all new technologies appeared: jeans were washed with pumice, drenched in acid, bleached ... Today, jeans are available in different colors, a lot of jeans fabrics and models have been developed.
The holiday got its name in honor of the custom of bathing horses in the river. All the mares and stallions that were on the farm were to be driven out on the river on that day (or, even better, pounding it from head to foot). It was believed that this would give them strength and health for a whole year.
In addition, the peasants themselves were pelted with water from the nearest pond. Prepare for this rite began in the morning - they took water in buckets and put them on the bridges. On a sunny day, the water was heated by noon, and it was necessary to pour herself and her children.
The bathing-place is the height of sowing, it was by no means impossible to miss this time. However, they said that home seeds degenerate, become unsuitable for sowing. There was a sign that the best yield comes from foreign seeds, especially if they were stolen. Therefore, the owners on this day went to each other on a visit and quietly tried to take a few seeds. Since everything was done like this, nobody was at a loss.
With the sowing period, a number of signs were associated: "This is under the weather - you will eat bread every year"; "In the new moon sowing - all the worm will eat"; "The eastern and western winds are best for planting and sowing."