Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for Cloth returned 99 results.
SUPERSTITION
NO MATTER HOW I DID IN A COMPETITIVE SPORT, I STILL WANT
EVERYTHING WASHED. THINGS LIKE T-SHIRTS, SOCKS, UNDERWEAR
AND SOMETIMES THE WHOLE UNIFORM, MUST BE WASHED. MOST PEOPLE
WILL NOT WASH CERTAIN THINGS FOR FEAR THAT THEY WILL WASH
OUT THE GOOD SPIRITS. I WANT TO KEEP THOSE SPIRITS HAPPY
BY LOOKING GOOD ALL THE TIME.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; OAK PARK
James Callow Keyword(s): WASHING OF CLOTHES
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion |
Date learned: CA00001972
CHARLIE SACHS OF WYANDOTTE BECAME A LEGENDARY CHARACTER IN THE
1920'S AND 1930'S. HE HAD BRIGHT YELLOW HAIR WHICH FELL BELOW HIS
EARS IN A BUSTER BROWN STYLE HAIRCUT. IT WAS KNOWN AS "SODY ASH"
HAIR AFTER THE COLOR OF SODA ASH MANUFACTURED BY THE WYANDOTTE
CHEMICALS COMPANY. CHARLIE GAINED HIS FAME BY WALKING AROUND
DOWNTOWN DETROIT IN FLAMBOYANT OUTFITS OF THE GAY NINETIES.
HE WOULD STROLL EACH DAY IN HIGH_BUTTON SHOES, CHECKED PANTS,
A BRIGHT VEST, A STRIPED BLAZER, AND A STRAW HAT ATTACHED BY
A RIBBON TO HIS LAPEL. WHEN SHIPS WERE DUE IN CHARLIE WOULD WANDER
AROUND THE
WATERFRONT IN AN 1890'S ADMIRAL'S UNIFORM. THE STRANGE OLD MAN
WOULD TALK TO NO ONE, AND HE DIED WITHOUT EVER REVEALING WHERE HE
GOT HIS MONEY OR HIS FANTASTIC COSTUMES.
Submitter comment: LEGEND ABOUT A MENTAL DEFECTIVE
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WYANDOTTE
Keyword(s): CLOTHES
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Physically handicapped Deformed |
Date learned: 01-00-1964
HAUNTED HOUSE AT MEMPHIS MICHIGAN
THE HAUNTED HOUSE AT MEMPHIS, MICHIGAN WAS DESERTED FOR 20 YEARS.
BUT YET EVERY MONDAY DIRRENCE (SIC) CLOTHES ARE REPORTED TO BE SEEN
HANGING ON A CLOTHESLINE. BONES ARE REPORTED ALSO SEEN IN THE
BASEMENT.
Submitter comment: FROM GRANDFATHER
Where learned: LIVING ROOM
James Callow Keyword(s): PHANTOM WASHING OF CLOTHES
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Measure of time Working |
Date learned: 10-05-1967
INSIDE OUT
IF YOU PUT SOMETHING ON INSIDE OUT DON'T CHANGE IT OR YOU WILL HAVE
BAD LUCK.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT ACTUALLY SAID THIS ON SUCH AN OCCASION.
Keyword(s): CLOTHING ; CONVERSION ; HOME, DOMESTIC PURSUITS
James Callow Keyword(s): DRESSING ; POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Dress BELIEF -- Conversions P883.22 |
Date learned: NONE GIVEN
A PREGNANT WOMAN SHOULD NEVER HANG CLOTHES OUT ON A LINE
TO DRY. IF SHE DOES THE UMBILICAL CORD WILL BECOME WOUND
AROUND THE NECK OF HER UNBORN BABY.
Submitter comment:
THIS WAS TOLD TO THE INFORMANT BY STELLA ODOERFER, HIS
MOTHER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MARLETTE
James Callow Keyword(s): WASHING CLOTHES
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 00001945CA
Wearing a vibrant color such as red, yellow or pink on Good
Friday is setting yourself up for bad encounters all
throughout the day.
Submitter comment:
Bright colors represent happy times and these colors would
hardly be appropriate to be worn on Good Friday.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Clothes, Jacket.
| Subject headings: | 663 Good Friday BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1989
If yo tink yo bundle of dirty clothes too heavy, try
picking up yo neighbor's own.
Submitter comment:
People always believe that they have the worst of everything
until they realize that other people have problems too.
Where learned: VIRGIN ISLANDS ; Saint Thomas
Keyword(s): tink = think ; yo = you or your
James Callow Keyword(s): Advice -- Positive ; Metaphor: problems = bundle of clothes ; RELATIVITY ; WEIGHT
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 02-00-1991
If win' don' blow yo won' see foul under cloes.
Submitter comment:
You won't know the true circumstances until something
unexpected happens to upset the normal course of events.
Where learned: VIRGIN ISLANDS ; Saint Thomas
Keyword(s): cloes = clothes ; don' = don't ; win' = wind ; won' = won't ; Yo = you
James Callow Keyword(s): OBSERVATION
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 03-00-1991
The sanctified religion says women are not allowed to wear make-
up, jewelry, pants, or red in church or outside of church.
Submitter comment:
Leah says that these rules are stated in the bible; the bible
says: "women should dress in modest apparel"; if they don't "Women
should be shame-faced."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): CLOTHING
James Callow Keyword(s): COSMETICS
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Church BELIEF -- Color |
Date learned: 00001970S
White toed sox
A good luck charm to ward off bad gremlins, was socks with
white toes. The Irish say that these socks will keep a person from
being tripped by "little people."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
James Callow Keyword(s): Apotropaic clothing
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Fairy Elf Goblin Gnome BELIEF -- Color BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 00001969S
IF YOU SEW SOMETHING WHILE WEARING IT, YOU'LL HAVE BAD LUCK.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; HENDERSONVILLE
James Callow Keyword(s): CLOTHES
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Bad luck Clothing (dress, hat, shoes, suit, etc.) |
Date learned: 00-00-1972
TALK SPEECH
THOSE PANTS MUST HAVE BEEN SPRAYED ON
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ECORSE
Keyword(s): CLOTHING
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Phrase |
WHEN YOU NOTICE THAT SOMEONE'S SLIP IS SHOWING, INSTEAD OF
TELLING THEM EXPLICITLY, YOU TELL THEM BY SAYING "JOHNNY IS
OUT OF JAIL" WHICH MEANS THAT YOUR SLIP IS SHOWING.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; PLYMOUTH
Keyword(s): CLOTHES
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 00001971 WINTER
FORMULA SPEECH
"IT'S SNOWING DOWN SOUTH."
Submitter comment:
THIS IS SAID WHENEVER YOU WANT TO TELL A WOMAN THAT HER SLIP IS
SHOWING, BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO COME RIGHT OUT AND SAY SO FOR
OTHERS MIGHT HEAR AND CAUSE THE WOMAN EMBARRASMENT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; VALENTES MENS FORMALWEAR
Keyword(s): CLOTHING
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 10-12-1971
Remedy - Animal
Whoever carries the right eye of a wolf fastened inside his right sleeve, remains free from all injury.
Where learned: INDIANA ; VEEDERSBURG
Keyword(s): "NATURAL" REMEDY ; AMULET ; ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; CLOTHING ; CURE ; Injury ; MEDICAL ; PREVENTION ; talisman
James Callow Keyword(s): "NATURAL" REMEDY ; ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; REMEDY
| Subject headings: |
Remedy: Animal
Whoever carries the right eye of a wolf fastened inside his right sleeve, remains free from all injury.
Data entry tech comment:
Motif added by T.R. Davidson
Where learned: INDIANA ; VEEDERSBURG
Keyword(s): "NATURAL" REMEDY ; ANIMAL ; CLOTHING ; PREVENTION ; REMEDY ; Wolf
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Animal |
Belief: Luck
Winning Streak:
Many coaches won't change a suit, socks or some particular piece of clothing if they have a winning streak going.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: Myself
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; CLOTHING ; CUSTOM ; Entertainment ; GAMBLING ; jinx ; LUCK ; SPORTS ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Trick
Trick:
A tricky person will point at a button on your clothing and ask "Do you want that?" If you say "yes," then he rips it off and gives it to you. If you are unfortunate enough to say "no," he rips it off and throws it away.
Submitter comment:
Be careful who you pull this trick on. He should not be Dick the Bruiser.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): BULLY ; Button ; CLOTHING ; JOKE ; Prank ; Tease ; TRICK ; TRICKSTER
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion |
Ethnic: Ukraine
Wedding Custom:
Before setting out for the church wedding ceremony, the Ukranian couple approach the two sets of parents and ask them for the parent's blessing. They then kneel before the parents, on a specially embroidered cloth "rushyk." The parents make the sign of the cross over them with a holyicon, then with a loaf of bread- touch each on the forehead. They wish them luck, health and many happy and prosperous years.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN ; Myself
Keyword(s): BLESSING ; Cloth ; CUSTOMS ; ETHNIC ; FAMILY ; MARRIAGE ; Ukraine ; WEDDING
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |
Ethnic: Ukraine
Wedding Custom:
Among the Ukrainians it was customary for an older couple called "starosty" represesnting the young man, to ask the parents of the girl for her hand in marriage. If she accepted the offer, she would tie around them a specially embroidered long cloth - "rushnyk."
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
Keyword(s): Cloth ; CUSTOM ; ETHNIC ; MARRIAGE ; PARENTS ; Proposal ; UKRAINIAN ; WEDDING
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |