Lisa Andreini of Hollywood, California writes, "Dr. Hal, why did early Twentieth century film directors wear jodhpurs and riding boots?"
Answer:
Well, it was a stylish look. Jodhpurs fit easily into the tops of high boots, since they're designed that way, more so than ordinary trousers. To tuck my pants into my boot tops I have to wrap the cuffs closely around my ankles, and this doesn't always work. Then, too, a director in those lively silent film days had to work outdoors as well as in. High boots, resembling riding boots, are better than shoes for muddy fields. They make the profile of the leg "cleaner," less likely than the broad-cuffed pants worn in John Held Jr. days to foul electrical cables on a set, and so on. Style and convenience. But then the Nazis came along, and ruined a good thing, style-wise.
