… One thing that stands out when ones like us spend most of the time studying women of history, and trying to figure out what they were thinking or knowing and so wearing, is that we modern people assume that things have improved and continue to improve in a straight line of sorts towards the future, with no looking back. Many modern people, except to enjoy theatre or movies, have no desire to know what came before, let alone wear it!
Once you learn, however, the secret of the adjustable corset with padding, or the 18th century bodice that still fits whether you gain a pound or lose a pound; once you’ve worn those lovely draping petticoats and skirts that hide flaws in thigh or derriere, or learned how convenient a nice pair of cotton split drawers are for using the restroom, it’s hard to shimmy into the rubberized skin tight synthetic clothing of today.
Of course, one can wonder “what in the world were they thinking??” when considering crinolines, bustles, and the gigantic sleeves we’ll be discussing next.
Modern or historical though, it still comes down to: what were/are they doing, what did/do they know about, and what did/do they have access to? While the 1860 swim costume will not win the next Olympics (and might drown somebody), a woman on the Oregon Trail would freeze to death in today’s spandex yoga pants and teeny lightweight short coats.
What women wore – and wear – is a reflection of society, culture, economics, and women’s roles at the time and place. This makes us those of us old enough to remember – what was with those fishnet stockings and mini skirts in the 1970’s??
(Who remembers this year?? We seem to recall maybe 2 people actually looked good in it..)
(Not only was the 1864 wool bathing costume awkward, one could drown in it)