Underappreciated Women in Paleontology & Their Collecting Attire

[DPS Ammonite]

Here's a good article about the underappreciated contributions of women in paleontology many of whom could not join scientific societies. Look at their wonderful attire while on a field trip inspecting an outcrop. At least the guy on the far left had his pant legs pulled up and was carrying a bag. Can you imagine wearing these outfits while wading in the North Sulphur River in Texas during the summer?

 

https://paleonerdish.wordpress.com/2016/10/19/forgotten-women-of-paleontology-the-newnham-quartet/

 

 

Can anyone show us photos of themselves while collecting in their best attire?

 

 

 

 

Photo from: 

Burek, C.V., and J.A. Malpas, (2007). “Rediscovering and conserving the Lower Paleolithic ‘treasures’ of Ethel Woods (née Skeat) and Margaret Crosfield in northeast Wales.” In Cynthia V. Burek and Bettie Higgs, eds., The Role of Women in the History of Geology. London: Geological Society, Special Publications, vol. 281, pp. 203–226.

[Susan from PA]

Oh my goodness!  They look like they are dressed in their Sunday best!  My idea of my best attire is jeans and a shirt! .  Wearing high heals in the field would be dangerous for someone as clumsy as I am.  

[Raggedy Man]

I sure do miss those days, when people were civilized and sophisticated. Lol

[tmaier]

A fine lady or gentleman of breeding don't get no schmutz on themselves. :)

I was a roving engineer in Europe for a while, and the American company I worked for told me to dress nice, keep my hands in my pockets and don't touch anything. I was told a proper engineer nevers stoops so low as to touch anything, and I had a reputation of rolling up my sleeves and "git 'er done!".

These people in the photo seem to be very "proper" to me. There are probably people out of frame of the photo who do the object touching.

[Triceratops]

Yes, very 'proper'. They all seem riveted by the stony wall in front of them however, despite their impractical garb!

[DeepTimeIsotopes]

On 10/19/2016 at 8:50 PM, DPS Ammonite said:

Can you imagine wearing these outfits while wading in the North Sulphur River in Texas during the summer?

 

At least wading would give you a way to cool off. I'd imagine those dress shoes would be absolutely dreadful to wear on a wet shale or soft limestone outcrop. 

 

[Jesuslover340]

30 minutes ago, UtahFossilHunter said:

 

At least wading would give you a way to cool off. I'd imagine those dress shoes would be absolutely dreadful to wear on a wet shale or soft limestone outcrop. 

 

I think the swimming attire "back in the day" for women actually used to be so heavy it caused some to drown...

[DeepTimeIsotopes]

4 minutes ago, Jesuslover340 said:

I think the swimming attire "back in the day" for women actually used to be so heavy it caused some to drown...

That's quite saddening. Working shorelines for shark teeth could be deadly.

[Jesuslover340]

2 hours ago, UtahFossilHunter said:

That's quite saddening. Working shorelines for shark teeth could be deadly.

Yes indeed...I know in the '20s and prior, swimsuits were made with wool, which, when wet, became very heavy and increased their risk of drowning. Should see some of the swimsuits before 1920...not too surprising, but sad.

[Ash]

I could post a pic of Skye in her fossil hunting attire (Jeans, coat! Well..it was winter)

[Ridgehiker]

Two women were involved in the world's  most scientifically important fossil site...the Burgess Shale.  Sisopa ( Stoney, Blackfoot) led the exploration team through the twisty Kicking Horse valley via traditional routes she learned as a girl.  Her husband Nihanik tended the horses

Mary Vaux Walcott worked  along side her husband in documenting and photographing the initial finds.  She also photographed and wrote about the natural history of the area. 

 

Quite a contrast with a photo of the University of Calgary's first year geology class at the site...good grief...are why are those girls not wearing skirts!

[Ptychodus04]

I've collected at the Mineral Wells Fossil Park in a kilt. I have to say, other than figuring out an alternative to my normal kneeling with face stuck to the ground stance (bare knees and other more obvious reasons) it was very comfortable. We had a nice breezy day...

[tmaier]

Sidebar note:

Two places to look for knee pads... the sporting goods area and the hardware area. The sporting goods area they use them for protecting against falls from skate board and such, and in the hardware area they are used for crawling through attics or working on the ground on your knees. The ones in the hardware area are most deisned for sustained kneeling.

[Ridgehiker]

2 hours ago, tmaier said:

Sidebar note:

Two places to look for knee pads... the sporting goods area and the hardware area. The sporting goods area they use them for protecting against falls from skate board and such, and in the hardware area they are used for crawling through attics or working on the ground on your knees. The ones in the hardware area are most deisned for sustained kneeling.

 

 

Also find them at the garden centre of Walmart, dollar stores, etc.

 

Other uses.

 

I rarely use them but have a flexible foam pair in the bottom of my daypack.  If I want to collect something fragile like a dino jaw, I'll wrap the specimen between two knee pads with a rubber band.  Also, if I have something in my pack with a hard edge, I'll cover the edge with a knee pad so it doesn't dig into my back.

[Ptychodus04]

5 hours ago, tmaier said:

Sidebar note:

Two places to look for knee pads... the sporting goods area and the hardware area. The sporting goods area they use them for protecting against falls from skate board and such, and in the hardware area they are used for crawling through attics or working on the ground on your knees. The ones in the hardware area are most deisned for sustained kneeling.

 

 

Can't do it. I get enough grief wearing the kilt, imagine the comments if I donned knee pads...