A question for the board:
We just went to the North Texas Irish Festival in Dallas. While we were there we saw one woman, and heard rumor of others, who were dressed in festival attire that left one breast bare.
My question: is this a style based in some way on history, or more likely a wardrobe malfunction? (The woman didn’t act like she was in the middle of a clothing crisis, and I wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to ask her about it, so I didn’t.)
Thanks.
–James
well…which one?
Ah, yes, the old Medieval, half-back, half-front Irish archery babe from the Amazon ploy. Third time I’ve fallen for that this week.
djm
Never heard of this as a style of female attire in Ireland, far too chilly & wet.
In Rio, not a problem.
I’m for it!
Not always. There is a document of an English Ambassador’s trip to Ireland in Elizabethan times when riding through South Armagh, I think it was, they came upon a cottage where there were a bevy of women at various household tasks, but without a stitch on. Not a whit abashed, they invited the travellers to join them for some refreshment. The English Ambassador was blate and hung back, but the Irish Lord his guide cheerfully dismounted his horse and stripped to join the ladies. Apparently it was not unusual in those times. Happy days!
In order to judge the historical accuracy of this garb, we’d need to see pictures…
I think your signature line is entirely inappropriate 
Well, oddly enough… the Romans alleged that the Celts went “naked into battle”. There’s some dispute about this, and there are claims that it meant “without armour” rather than “without clothing”. There are a number of pictures of Irish Aristocracy from Seventeenth Century and later, where the (male) aristocrat is shown in a chain-mail shirt, or single breastplate, with pale pink tights. There is some evidence to suppose that the pale-pink tights were to preserve the modesty of those viewing the picture, and that Irish Knights did indeed go into battle naked, at least from the waist down.
No naked ladies, though. Shame! 
Usually archer babes want more coverage not less. Granted compound shooting, as displayed here, is not real archery but the principles are the same. This is even more important when shooting “compounds” the way I prefer.
… yeah, right…
Overall, I would say her dress looked more Medieval than Irish–not that I’m an expert on either. I thought perhaps the bared breast was meant to mark her as a wet-nurse; it looked intentional and as though the dress was deliberately made that way.
I was a bit surprised and don’t actually remember with certainty which breast was bare, but I think it was the left.
Though the woman didn’t seem uncomfortable at all, we somehow didn’t feel it was an area to linger in, so we moved along.
–James
Dang it Joe…why the hell wasn’t that a fashion when WE did the festivals? EH? Dang it! WHY I ask you WHY!!?
Having been a participant in the Minnesota Renaissance Festival for the past 25 years, I can honestly say that that most of its performers don’t have a clue (nor want one) what ‘period attire’ is or isn’t.
I was at that same festival on Sunday, but I didn’t seen any bare breasts. I guess I should have gone on Saturday?
Your left or hers? Details, man, details!
(not that I have any mammary fixation or anything)
djm
There’s a festival in Columbus, OH where
toplessness is common. I think it was Comfest.
But otherwise, I haven’t heard of such dress.
I believe it would have been her left.
I really don’t remember many details–this was in one of the buildings where rows and rows of vendors were set up, it was crowded, I turned around, and there she was. My wife and I looked at her, looked at each other, and walked on.
Outside, later, we were sitting on a concrete wall by some steps with some other people. One older lady heard us talking about the bare-breasted woman, and informed us that she had seen several, and didn’t appreciate it much.
That’s pretty much the whole story.
–James
Was this a legal festival? Or maybe French?
Maybe she was a TERAist? They are always pushing the envelope so to speak. Was there an orange or red flag at the entrance to the festival? That’s a warning there are TERAists close by.