Who invented black spandex pants

Induction Event Collegiate Inventors Event. Back to Inductee Search Joseph C. Shivers Jr. US Patent No. And unlike rubber thread, spandex does not break down with exposure to body oils, perspiration, lotions, or detergents. These qualities made it perfect for girdles, bras, and pantyhose. From swimwear to Lycra ski clothes to, eventually, s-style leggings, Lycra made the rounds. Today, besides the ubiquitous shaping undergarment Spanx, it can be found in clothes ranging from skinny jeans to space suits.

The one problem: Spandex marketed by DuPont as Lycra hit shelves just as girdles were going out of fashion in favor of pantyhose. Thanks for playing a major role in making it totally acceptable to basically wear pajamas in public. Music is the universal language, but it can also be a universal healing agent. We take a look at how the right sounds can enhance and improve moods.

This pillow claims to relieve stress, tension, and anxiety — but does it work? We put it to the test. Interestingly enough, the first known appearances of leggings were on men in 14th-century Scotland.

Initially, the leggings they wore were two separate, hip-high, boot-like apparatuses made of either leather or chainmail, intended for both casual and military garb. They eventually evolved into thick garments, like tights, that men wore under their cotehardies during Renaissance times. Leggings remained a predominantly male trend up until the 19th century when women began wearing iterations of their own.

The modern-day evolution of leggings really began in the s. One of the original fashion girls, Audrey Hepburn, is as much associated the rise of capri pants as she was with her iconic cat-eye sunglasses.

Hepburn donned the slim, waist-defining cropped black pants for 's Sabrina , and many other women followed suit throughout the decade. While they weren't quite the stretchy pants that come to mind today, they were a distinct departure from the wide-leg styles that were popular in the s. Following the invention of Lycra aka spandex by chemist Joseph Shivers in and the first Lycra leggings made in , the fashion industry embraced the slim, stretchy pants in the '60s, with designers like Mary Quant and Emilio Pucci even pairing them with the decade's mod shift dresses.