Student loans are basically non-dischargeable, almost everyone knows this. There are some very specific circumstances where even today you can have your student loan debt discharged, but that is a narrow exception that often requires a fight and money to fight. We will discuss the current state of dischargeability in a future post.

The landscape around student loans and bankruptcy has not always been so desolate. Not so long ago these loans were dischargeable. Back when they were dischargeable, the cost of an education was much lower and the total student loan debt was a fraction of what it is now. With student loan debt currently being a 1,200,000,000,000.00 (One Trillion Two Hundred Billion) dollar problem holding people back from purchasing homes or taking part in the broader economy, with a little help they may become dischargeable yet again.

A Brief History.

Student loans really did not pop into existence in America until 1958 under the National Defense Education Act. 1. These loans were offered as a way to encourage students to pursue math and science degrees to keep us competitive with the Soviet Union. 2. In 1965, the Guaranteed Student Loan or Stafford Loan program was initiated under the Johnson Administration. Over time, additional loan programs have come into existence. The necessity of loans for students has become greater as the subsidies universities receive have fallen over time. Take Ohio State for example. In 1990, they received 25% of their budget from the state, as of 2012 that percentage had fallen to 7%. In the absence of state money, universities and colleges have increased tuition to cover the reduction in state money.

The Rising Cost of Education.

The cost of higher education adjusted for inflation over time goes something like this, in 1980 the average cost for tuition room and board at a public institution was $7,587.00 in 2014 dollars and by 2015 it had gone up to $18,943.00 in 2014 dollars. The cost of a higher education in 35 years with inflation accounted for has gone up by 2.5 times. Compare this to inflation adjusted housing costs which have remained nearly unchanged, increasing just 19% from 1980 to 2015 when the bubble and housing crisis is removed. 3. Or compare to wages which, except for the top 25%, have not increased over that same time period. Looking at affordability in terms of minimum wage it is clear that loans are more and more necessary for anyone who wants to attend university or college. In 1981, a minimum wage earner could work full time in the summer and make almost enough to cover their annual college costs, leaving a small amount that they could cobble together from grants, loans, or work during the school year. 4. In 2005, a student earning minimum wage would have to work the entire year and devote all of that money to the cost of their education to afford 1 year of a public college or university. 5. Now think about this, there are approximately 40 million people with student loan debt somewhere over the 1.2 trillion dollar mark. According to studentaid.gov, seven million of those borrowers are in default, that is roughly 18%. Default is defined as being 270 days delinquent on your student loan payments. Once in default, the loan balances increase by 25% and are sent to collections. The collections agencies get a commission on collected debt and are often owned by the very entity that originated the loans, i.e. Sallie Mae.

The Building of the Student Debt Prison.

Prior to 1976 student loans were dischargeable in bankruptcy without any constraints. Of course, if you look back at statistics from that time, there wasn’t much student debt to speak of. When the US Bankruptcy Code was enacted in 1978, the ability to discharge student loans was narrowed. Back then, in order to have your loans discharged, you had to be in repayment for 5 years or prove that such a repayment would constitute an undue hardship. The rationale for narrowing the discharge was that it would damage the student loan system as student debtors flocked to bankruptcy to have their debt discharged. The facts, however, did not support this attack. By 1977 only .3% of student loans had been discharged in bankruptcy. 6. Still, the walls continued to close on student debtors. Up until 1984, only private student loans made by a nonprofit institution of higher education were excepted from discharge. 7. Next with the enactment of the Bankruptcy Amendments and Federal Judgeship Act of 1984, private loans from all nonprofit lenders were excepted from discharge. In 1990, the period of repayment before a discharge could be received was lengthened to 7 years. 8. In 1991, the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 1991 allowed the federal government to garnish up to 10% of disposable pay of defaulted borrowers. 9. In 1993, the Higher Education Amendments of 1992 added income contingent repayment which required payments of 20% of discretionary income to be paid towards Direct Loans. 10. After 25 years of repayment the remaining balance was forgiven. In 1996 the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 allowed Social Security benefit payments to be offset to repay defaulted federal education loans. 11. In 1998, the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 struck the provision allowing education loans to be discharged after 7 years in repayment. 12. In 2001, the US Department of Education began offsetting up to 15% of social security disability and retirement benefits to repay defaulted federal education loans. In 2005, “the law change” as we call it in the Bankruptcy field further narrowed the exception to discharge to include most private student loans. Since private student loans were given protection from discharge in bankruptcy there has been no reduction in the cost of those loans. 13. If the rational for excepting student loans from discharge is that the cost to students to obtain loans would soar, this fact would seem to lay waste to that argument.

In the wake of the slow march towards saddling our students with unshakable debt, the government created a couple of ways to deal with government backed student loans outside of bankruptcy. In 2007 the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 added income based repayment which allows for a smaller repayment than income contingent repayment, 15% of discretionary income and debt forgiveness after 25 years. 14. In 2010, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 created a new version of income-based repayment cutting the monthly payment to 10% of discretionary income with debt forgiveness after 20 years. 15. This new improved income based repayment plan is only for borrowers who have no loans from before 2008. Further, those with loans in default, will not qualify for income based repayment unless they first rehabilitate those loans. If you are interested in seeing if your loans qualify for income based repayment or income contingent repayment please visit student aid dot gov. Unfortunately, none of these programs do anything to deal with private loans, a growing problem currently at around $200,000,000,000.00 (Two Hundred Billion) or around 16% of the total student loan debt.

What Can We Do?

The cost of education is relentlessly marching upward, the need for a higher education to earn a living wage is only becoming greater, and the ability of our graduates to repay these loans is diminishing. Why is the cost of education outpacing inflation by so much? Why are state and local governments reducing funds they used to devote to college students? These are questions that need to be addressed as well. My focus is on the unavailability of a real discharge option and how it is weighing down the rest of the economy. This is a problem. On September 8, 2015, Michigan Congressman Dan Kildee introduced a bill in Congress intended to reduce the burden on students and their families caused by the increasing costs of education and the financial stress of student loans. 16. The proposed legislation would do away with the exception to discharge listed in 11 U.S.C. § 523 (a)(8). If you want to have your say on this issue, call your congress person today and let them know that where you stand on H.R. 3451

All the Best,

Steven Palmer, Esq.

Licensed in WA and OH

1. http://www.eoionline.org/blog/the-great-cost-shift-college-was-once-a-ticket-to-opportunity-now-its-a-roadblock/

2. P.L. 85-864; 72 Stat. 1580

3. Case Schiller Home Price Index, Inflation Adjusted

4. Student Debt: Bigger and Bigger, Center for Economic and Policy Research by Heather Boushey (Sept. 2005).

5. Boushey (Sept. 2005)

6. ENDING STUDENT LOAN EXCEPTIONALISM: THE CASE FOR RISK-BASED PRICING AND DISCHARGEABILITY, 126 Harv. L. Rev. 587

7. Financial Aid dot Org, Questions, Bankruptcy

8. Crime Control Act of 1990, P.L. 101-674, 11/29/1990

9. P.L. 102-164, 11/15/1991

10. P.L. 102-325, 7/23/1992

11. Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, P.L. 104-134, 4/26/1996

12. P.L. 105-244, 10/7/1998

13. 126 Harv. L. Rev. 587

14. P.L. 110-84, 9/27/2007

15. P.L. 111-152, 3/30/2010

16. http://www.ncbrc.org/blog/2015/09/15/proposed-bill-eliminates-student-loan-discharge-exception/

When the name “Yamaha” is mentioned, a flurry of products can come to mind. Yamaha is a company that has created a vast number of products. Some of the most well known creations are dirt bikes, watercraft, street bikes, snowmobiles, guitars, and pianos that are the only competition that Steinway really has. However, they also create generators of every shape and size for uses of all types. This market may not be as well known as the motor vehicles or their musical instruments, but generators have been a part of the history of Yamaha for many years.

Yamaha first began producing street bikes and distributing them in 1958. However, after some initial success in the world of motors, they decided to branch out and extend their market with generators. This development came nearly 15 years later in 1973. Their first generator model was the ET1200.

However, in due time, Yamaha generators came out with yet another model. Their next big development was in 1998 when they came out with the EF2800i. This model offered the feature of pulse width modulation (PWM). This allowed people to use Yamaha generators with equipment that required the controlled stabilization of frequency and voltage. With the development, Yamaha was able to create generators on a more broad scale so that they could be used with a variety of machines and needs.

With every passing year, Yamaha generators have been able to keep up with the pack and have continually released generators with new features that allow people to purchase the right sized generator for all their needs. They have small portable generators that can be used for trips that may require use of an electric power source. Others are large enough to keep businesses and workshops running even when there is no power source available other than the generator.

In 2009, Yamaha generators sent out a press release about their latest generator, the EF2000iS. This generator is the newest in their inverter generator lineup and is both versatile and portable. This generator weighs in at only 44 pounds, so it is extremely lightweight in comparison to others. It boasts the latest in Yamaha generator technology, and is both fuel-efficient and long lasting. It produces enough power to run several small appliances such as a microwave, satellite, television, etc. It can also be hooked up with another generator for when an extra boost of power is needed. This generator is one of the best available for users who go camping and RVing on a regular basis. It is quiet, powerful, and great on fuel and hence makes a great addition to any modern campsite.

Yamaha generators have a history that now spans well over 35 years. They are one of the leading companies in terms of technology, as they are always coming out with a new model and innovation to make their generators both efficient and powerful. At the moment, there is a model of Yamaha generators that is appropriate for nearly every need and budget.

You may often hear the term “German Giant Bearded Dragons” when looking for a credible breeder to purchase your new lizard from. These “giants” are from a selectively bred bloodline by German herpetologists, in which they focused primarily on producing very large versions of the P. vitticeps species. Because of their size, descendants of this bloodline are highly sought after in today’s pet trade. However, there is some controversy as to whether any true heirs still exist, making those labeled and sold as such, fake.

While American breeders were focusing on creating spectacular color morphs in the early days of captive beardie breeding, the Germans were busy creating a “super dragon” of sorts. There are two conflicting stories as to how this larger version of the vitticeps was created. One story claims that German herpetologists found particularly large P. vitticeps specimens in the Northwest regions of Australia. They then continued to collect the largest of these lizards, exported them to Germany and began to breed them. The second theory is that the same group of hepetologists cross-bred a P. vitticeps, with a P. barbata. Neither of these stories can be proven, nor denied, but it is widely agreed that one of the two are factual.

These abnormally large dragons can grow up to 30″ in length and 1000 grams in weight. Making them much larger, and nearly a half-foot longer than the average P. vitticeps. Along with size comes better health and hardiness. Gravid females will also lay larger clutches after breeding, with the largest on record consisting of 68 eggs! It was these facts that led to the downfall of legitimate GG specimens within America.

The United States did not see this special breed until the late 1980’s, to early 1990’s. It was then that the German-born herpetologist Peter Weiss imported the giant bloodline to his facilities in Florida. Weiss is credited with producing the “giant” bloodline that were made available to those in the United States.

Today, it is believed that true “German Giants” have been bred out of existence. At least in the States. Due to above-average strength, health and clutch size, the giants were commonly mated with normal vitticeps to increase their hardiness. thus diluting the bloodline with each generation. It is believed that there still may be some true GG’s found in Europe, but this has yet to be confirmed.

You will still see many breeders and owners claiming to have German Giant bearded dragons, but proof of these lizards growing to the “giant” proportions associated with authentic specimens, has yet to surface. You will commonly see pictures of dragons that are believed to possess this special bloodline, but again, these are commonly of baby or juvenile lizards. Unfortunately, unless there are still some true heirs to the throne residing in Germany, it appears that this “super beardie” has been lost forever.

How Catering Began

The history of catering and fine cooking trades dates back in the 4th millennium BC. It all started in China but the culture of grand eating and drinking was already important during the prosperous years in old Egypt. However, the catering trade only emerged from the commonly practiced hospitality, which was always free, when the first real hostels and inns were built in ancient Greece.

The development in ancient Greece continued in the Roman Empire. At first, the accommodations for Roman soldiers were found along the military roads and trading routes, which were eventually opened to all travelers. During the Middle Ages in Europe, the first signs of the rebirth of the catering trade were seen in monasteries which covered mainly the needs of the many Christian pilgrims going to Rome. Caravan series served the same purpose in the Orient and started there around 600 AD. During Charlemagne’s time, the catering trade developed and spread throughout the entire Europe because transport and trade required secure accommodation.

The catering trade had been greatly influenced by the church in the later part of the Middle Ages. Additionally, the newly established bourgeoisies, the flourishing trade, the natural economy being replaced with money, and the intensification of transport all contributed to the popularity of catering industry.

The catering industry was widely spread in Germany from 14th to 15th century and this had drawn the attention of legislators. The first “beer inspection” licenses were paid by the Augsburg Elector in 1530. It was also in the same year that the “Reformation gutter Polizey” law was enacted and this replaced many regional regulations. After the law was enacted, different rules for hostels and inns were issued and this led to the regulation of the serving of drinks, beer mugs sizes, and the quality and purity of beer, even the quantity and kind of dishes were brought up in the “Zehrordnung” regulation. As time passed by, guild hostels and houses developed. The term “Seefahrts- und Schifferhäuser” was first heard in the seaside towns during the Hanse era. As another area of expertise, post guesthouses and rathskeller restaurants emerged, and until now, they can still be found as establishments termed as “Gasthof zur Post” or “Ratskeller”. The improvement of transport, technical innovations, population increase, and sudden rise in the trade of travel and tourism gave gastronomy a quick shift which made it a very important factor for national economy.

Obesity is simply fatness in a degree higher than being overweight. The energy intake coming from food is stored as fat because the body does not use it. Obesity has quite an impact in one’s physical health that many degenerative diseases are directly and indirectly linked to obesity as observed in the history of obesity. It may even have a much worse impact on a person’s mental health. Throughout the history of obesity, its reputation varies from appreciation and the opposite among cultures and in time.

Take a look in the history of obesity and we’ll learn that this is truly an age-old health condition. Ancient Egyptians are said to consider obesity as a disease, having been drawn in a wall of depicted illnesses. Perhaps the most famous and earliest evidence of obesity is the Venus figurines, statuettes of an obese female torso that probably had a major role in rituals. Ancient China have also been aware of obesity and the dangers that come with it. They have always been a believer of prevention as a key to longevity. The Aztecs believed that obesity was supernatural, an affliction of the gods. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was aware of sudden deaths being more common among obese men than lean ones as stated in his writings. In certain cultures and areas where food is scarce and poverty is prevalent obesity is viewed as a symbol of wealth and social status. To date, an African tribe purposely plumps up a bride to prepare her for child bearing. Before a wedding can be set, a slim bride is pampered to gain weight until she reaches the suitable weight.

Throughout the history of obesity, the public’s view and status of obesity changed considerably in the 1900’s. It was regarded as unfashionable by the French designer, Paul Poiret who designed skin-revealing clothes for women. About the same time, the incidence of obesity began to increase and become widespread. Later in the 1940’s, Metropolitan Life Insurance published a chart of ideal weights for various heights. They also advocated that weight gain parallel to age is not ok. The government and the medical society became more hands-on with obesity by initiating a campaign against it. This was preceded by a study of risk factors of cardiovascular diseases revealing obesity among the high ranks. Since then various diet and exercise programs have emerged. In 1996, the Body Mass Index (BMI) was published. This statistical calculation and index determined if a person is obese or not. At this time, obesity incidence have soared, led by children and adolescent obesity, tripling in just a few short years, greater than any number in the history of obesity.

Perhaps the most controversial is the independent film, Super Size Me. Released in 2004, Super Size Me was written, produced and directed by American independent filmmaker, Martin Spurlock in an exploration of the prevalence of obesity in the USA. He documented 30 days of his life in an experiment of eating only McDonald’s food with completely no exercise. He began the project as healthy and lean but ended up overweight. It was later followed by several other documentaries and a few changes in the McDonald’s menu. The history of obesity should be well studied so precautions can be practiced and thus prevent obesity from spreading.

Over the years and in the history of obesity, it seems to worsen despite growing awareness and combating techniques that it has been called an epidemic.

There is no way to determine exactly where or when the “baby shower” originated. There are several theories on baby shower history, but none can be proven. No matter where and when baby showers were first introduced, today they are a very special event celebrating a new life.

Some historians have found evidence of baby showers, or something similar, quite some time ago. These discoveries lead experts to believe that celebrating birth started in ancient cultures, like those in the Egyptian and Roman times. No definitive proof is available, but historians have deciphered data which could mean baby showers took place.

When you look at baby showers from long ago, you see that most of the gifts given to the family were handmade. Articles of clothing, blankets, and even food items were provided as gifts for the new family. Showers in the past occurred after the birth of the child, so many times part of the “baby shower” was the viewing of the new child.

The “baby shower” as we celebrate it today began after World War II. Family and friends gather together, in a party atmosphere, to celebrate the birth of a new baby. At the start, only woman were invited to attend such a gathering, but today these celebrations can include the father, grandfathers, and any male family members.

In recent years, the baby shower has started to occur before the actual birth of the child. With the new technology that is available to expectant parents, the gender of the child is not so much a mystery. Therefore, a baby shower can be thrown early in preparation for the baby’s arrival without the worry of buying the wrong thing.

No matter what the baby shower history is, the baby shower of today is a supportive and generous event toward new or expectant parents. With all the current trends toward “unisex” items, it is hard to buy the wrong thing!

The Bowline is a knot that creates a fixed loop at the end of a rope. It is one of the most well known and important knots used in boating and sailing and is often called the King of Knots due to its versatility, strength, and stability. It is easy to learn, quickly made, and easy to untie after being placed under heavy strain. In fact, the ability to untie the knot after being under high strain and subjected to harsh conditions is what makes it a fantastic knot for running rigging.

History: The Bowline was used on tall ships during the “Age of Sail” to attach a square sail to the yardarm. Another spelling for the Bowline is “Bow Line” because it may have been used to hold the windward, bow facing, side of the sail. The Bowline was first mentioned in 1627 by John Smith in A Seaman’s Grammar under the name “Boling Knot”. The Bowline may have been around much longer than the Age of Sail and even existed in ancient Egypt. A knot similar to the Bowline was found when Egyptian ships were excavated and the rigging was examined.

How to Make a Bowline: The method for making a Bowline is easy to remember by using the mnemonic “A rabbit comes out of the hole, around the tree, and back into the hole”.

1- Create an underhand bight in the line leaving a generous amount for the working end

2- Bring the end up through the loop created by the bight

3- Behind and around the standing part of the line

4- Then back down through the loop

5- Tighten the knot by pulling on the end, standing part, and loop

Uses: The Bowline is a versatile knot and can be used for a number of tasks including:

1- Attaching a jib sheet at the clew. (This is the place you will usually find a Bowline on a sailboat.)

2- As the knot on the end of a halyard to hoist an object or sail as needed.

3- Creatively as a slip knot; since the loop at the end of the line is fixed.

4- As a Bend to tie two lines together with each line using a Bowline at the end. 5- To create a loop at the end of a docking line.

Bowline Variations: The Bowline has a number of variations that work well in different scenarios, but maintain the original Bowline structure. One variation is the Running Bowline, which is basically a slip knot created by passing the standing part of the rope through the fixed Bowline loop. The result is a slip knot that can be used to retrieve items when they fall overboard, hold items tightly together, or used in running rigging. A second variation is a Bowline on Bight, which creates two fixed loops at the end of the rope. The two knots can be separated and used to lift people out of the water by placing a leg in each loop.

If you only want to learn a few knots, then the Bowline is one that should make your short list. Its versatility, dependability, and the fact it is easy to make (and untie) demonstrates why it has earned the title “King of Knots”.

The striped necktie is one of the most popular and fashionable looks for the modern businessman. While horizontal and even vertical stripes can be found in the sea of varying colors and patterns available in men’s neckties, diagonal stripes create a classically handsome look that’s associated with success, prestige and even power. This association may be due to the origins of the diagonally striped tie.

It’s no surprise that the striped necktie first occurs in the history of a society that’s rich with tradition and had a hand in colonizing most of the world. British military regiments of World War I are often credited with originating the striped tie, and in fact these soldiers proudly wore ties bearing stripes of specific colors and widths identifying their regiments. Although this had much to do with sparking the trend in the US and other countries, English schools and country clubs may actually be more responsible for the beginning of the tradition.

Historians tell us that in 1880, the Exeter College rowing team moved the school-colored ribbons from their straw hats to their necks as ties, and later replaced these with actual neckties. Whether this was the first instance isn’t known, but we do know that many schools and country clubs soon took up the trend and a tradition was created that is still carried on in private schools, academies and universities around the world today. At the same time schools and clubs began sporting their colors in neckwear, the British military discarded their red uniforms for a more subdued color that made them a less tempting target in battle, and regimental ties soon became prevalent.

As with many other traditions, the United States soon recognized and picked up the trend, but being the rebels that we are, the fashion grew with two distinct differences. There was much less emphasis on the right to wear a particular pattern or color combination, and the direction of the diagonal was reversed from high on the left to high on the right. The result was a new distinction in the fashion industry: the European stripe vs. the American stripe. While some organizations within the US adopted “their own” colors, this was mostly disregarded within the US fashion industry. Often, when a group in the US did adopt a tie pattern as a symbol of membership, the European stripe was retained.

It’s notable too, that many of the colors within regimental ties hold special meaning for the members of the organizations that wear them. Many of these color combinations were derived from existing flags or banners, and as with the flags of countries, each color may have been carefully selected to represent something in the history of the group, such as red for the blood of those who gave their lives for a cause. So, there may be good reason for the pride with which members of certain groups defend the colors they wear.

Over the late 20th century, striped ties became available in every color of the rainbow, and in nearly any combination imaginable. Width, spacing and even the orientation of the stripes has also been varied over the years and retailers everywhere now offer selections to match even the most unusual wardrobes. The departure from the traditional regimental striped necktie hasn’t reduced its popularity, however and many fashion-wise businessmen still consider the classic diagonal striped tie a staple of their attire. Whatever your opinion on that matter, striped neckties have certainly found their place in the business world.

The history of Berenguer Dolls began over half a century ago in Spain when Jose Berenguer began a lifelong passion for designing dolls in 1944.

By the 1950’s Jose Berenguer’s dolls had built an excellent reputation for quality craftsmanship and beauty. The most popular during this decade were the Chelito and Pepin dolls.

His passion for doll making and design was passed on to his son Salvador, who was also born in Spain – a country that has inspired many artists. Salvador comes from a family where the gift of sculpting has been passed down through the generations and inherited his family’s legacy.

He has personally sculpted many Berenguer doll masterpieces that capture the essence of a child’s beauty. He is an expert at recreating the look of innocence and purity that reflect childhood.

He is the creative genius behind the ingenious designs of today’s Dolls by Berenguer, now owned by JC Toys. With his sculpting background and a keen eye for detail, Salvador has created countless dolls that reveal the many varied emotions of childhood. He draws his inspiration from everyday life and – closer to home – his own children and grandchildren.

Salvador took over from his father in the 1960’s and continued his pleasure of a toil with the same passion and dedication as when he began over 40 years ago.

Today Salvador is Head Sculptor for the company JC Toys which has offices in Florida, Hong Kong and Spain.

JC Toys Group dolls were first introduced to the American market in the early 1980’s. You’ve probably heard of them under another name – they were known by the popular name of BERJUSA .

The Berjusa dolls had a considerable effect on the doll market at the time due to because of their amazingly life-like features and innovative gentle facial sculpts which had never been seen quite like this before. Popular brand names of dolls of the 1980’s and later were Tunene and Minene.

Later on that decade, new baby dolls were introduced to the range, like La Newborn and La Baby.

Today JC Toys is an international designer and manufacturer of collectible and specialty dolls, with one of the largest ranges in the world. And the name Berenguer continues to be synonymous with dolls of superior quality and unique design.

That is Salvador Berenguer’s legacy.

During the Renaissance, the wealthier and more prosperous members of a city, town or region often wore elaborate and highly-decorated renaissance clothing that was hand crafted from a variety of rich and expensive fabrics and finishes. In fact, the richer a family was the more expensive and ornate their Renaissance clothing was, as this was one of the primary ways of indicating stature and wealth during the Renaissance period (from the 14th to the middle of the seventeenth century).

Interestingly enough, as there was little opportunity for financial investment, the Renaissance clothing of the ruling classes was not only seen as indication of wealth, but a form of investment. If a family were to require money in the future, the clothing could be resold.The fabrics that the wealthy and their designers favored during the Renaissance were fabrics that were the hardest to produce and therefore the most expensive and exclusive. This included cotton, velvet, silk and brocade. At the time, each of these was labor intensive and/or produced a great distance away from Western Europe, such as in Egypt for cotton. Rich finishes such as ribbons, seed pearls and golden / silver thread were also liberally embroidered on the Renaissance clothing of the day.

During the period Renaissance clothing for women ebbed and flowed from simpler pieces, such as underskirts, bodices and robes, to more complex clothing that included skirts, underskirts, bodices, over-bodices, hoops and collars. Men’s Renaissance clothing on the other hand, was often designed to accentuate the body shape, providing them with a more rounded look (along the lines of a barrel). Made out of the same rich colors and fabrics, their renaissance clothing often included padded shoulders and breeches, as well as hats, embellished with the same embroidery and fancy finishes that completed the Renaissance clothing of women.