Undercover investigation

Socks or stockings? Under a school uniform, that is. When I'm trawling through vintage spank-related images I've always assumed that stockings under school uniforms were a re-imagination of reality to make the image a little sexier.

Now I'm not so sure. The past is another country, as they say, and it's never easy to pick apart fact and fiction. The history element of historical fiction is rarely more than minimal.

But it's nice to at least try for a bit of authenticity, isn't it? I'm working at the moment on a 1940s story that has quite a bit of action set in a girls' boarding school, which means uniform has been an issue.

Knowing exactly what a 1940s boarding school girl wore is quite difficult to establish. Yes, there are old school photos that give an impression of outer-wear - but what about the all-important detail of underwear?

Perhaps I should approach ex-pupils on the pretence that I'm doing genuine historical research. The problem is by my calculation a member of 1940's Upper Sixth would now be in her late 80s...

So, I'm really grateful to Mr Tawse for giving us this great picture and for his thoughts on 1960s school skirts and stocking tops. Clearly the older schoolgirl back then had stockings when she was in class.
I'd imagined Beryl and her chums in gymslips or pleated skirts and knee-length socks, but now I cna see I'm probably wrong. Stockings would probably been the order of the day then too. It looks like I need to go back and re-write the chapters I've completed so far to put my naughty girls in the right undies.

Monday moment: Discovery

A new service to you, dear reader. Monday is a day that's all about real life, isn't it? Back to work, to school, to whatever. So I'd say there's a crying need for something that makes you smile.

Today's reason to be cheerful is an image blog I happened upon over the weekend that's called Your Mother's Porn. Not sure if I'm entirely comfortable with the mental connection that the title puts into my mind between porn and my dear old Mum, but as she'd say: "You'd better get over that, dear."
What it does do is make me feel a bit nostalgic for times before I was even born. Through the distorting lens of their porn, the 1960s and 1950s look like a total giggle. Oh, and there's a fair bit of spanko stuff in there too...

More Benson

Time ran out mid post yesterday, but I was meaning to include a couple more of Roger Benson's evocative drawings to make my point.

I really like the one above. The connection is a personal one. We had a sewing machine like that one when I was young and patterns, pins and fittings were very much part of the domestic scene.

Not sure what the relationship is here, but the dressmaker looks rather no-nonsense. I reckon if the girl fidgets too much she'll end up with a nice handprint somewhere between those knickers and the suspender.

If there's a mismatch between Benson's girls and the character I'm trying to create it's that they can seem a little too submissive; their eyes are often closed, or lowered. If there's fiestiness it's well hidden. 

On the other hand the matriarchs are certainly feisty - they're very strong women. I like to think they were once the ones on the disciplinary receiving end.Do the women at the table in this one know what it's like to be the spanked girl at the fireplace? I hope so.

Mind you, this one suggests no lack of spirit. This is a girl who knows what she wants and is prepared to take risks to get it. What happens in Benson World to a young lady indulging in this sort of necking? 

I've done a little research about the artist but it's hard to pin down who, when and where. His images were used with skill and imagination a few years ago by the creator of the spoof magazine Bared Affair that appeared on soc.sexuality.spanking newsgroup. I've always assumed that they were genuine products of the 1950/1960s. If they're not, they're very good at drawing the viewing into a constructed world. Anyone know?