Getting dressed in the 18th century - working woman

(rooster crowing)

The layer worn next to
the skin was the shift.

This was made from linen, and washable.

It also served as a nightdress.

Cleanliness mattered.

The shift was changed as
often as was practical.

And women would usually have
two shifts as a minimum.

A simple daily wash was probably usual.

Drawers were not necessary for privacy

as the petticoats were many, long,
and hung close to the body.

Women wore knitted stockings
that drew up over the knee.

They were sometimes embellished
with the design called clocks

which helped conceal
the seam at the ankle.

A simple garter was tied beneath
the knee to hold them in place.

Shoes were low and practical.

It was important to put on the stockings
and shoes before the stays

as they made a difficult, once laced,
for the woman to reach her feet with ease.

The purpose of stays in the 18th century

was to support the bust
rather than to restrict the waist.

The stays created a fashionable outline,
which also mattered to the working woman.

Working stays were plain,
had less stiffening,

and could lace up both front and back
for ease of dressing and movement.

These stays were sometimes
called a pair of bodies.

And the addition of a stomacher at the
front concealing any gap made them seemly

should the woman need to remove
layers due to heat or hard work.

Pockets were bags worn singly or in pairs,
tied about the waist by a cord or ribbon.

They could be accessed through openings
in the side of the petticoats.

The petticoats were very simply made
from two rectangles of fabric

gathered or pleated into a waistband
front and back, with long ties.

Gaps were left at the sides
to reach into the pockets.

This style of petticoat was adjustable

and would cope with pregnancy
and the return of the figure

without new clothes being required.

The outermost petticoat was hard-wearing.

It may have been made in a brighter color
wool, or even a printed linen or cotton.

In winter, a quilted petticoat
was often worn.

Hair was usually brushed back
and tied up and out of the way

at the back of the head.

A neckerchief was worn
to cover the low neckline,

for warmth, or to protect
the skin from sun.

This could be tucked into the stays
at the front to keep it in place.

A jacket or shortgown was worn
over the stays and petticoats.

This could be simply and safely
closed with straight pins

that wove through the fabric
with the point tucked inwards

towards the sturdy stays.

This was another adjustable garment
that could cope with the changing figure.

The jacket sleeves were short, ending
at a practical below-elbow level.

An apron was a vital part
of working dress.

It helped to keep the clothes clean,

offered a place to wipe hands, and
protect them when carrying hot pots.

Aprons also provided a means of
carrying bulky spillable goods

such as vegetables or logs.

A white linen cap was
usually worn in public.

It was kept in place by ties

or if the woman could afford it,
a pretty-colored silk ribbon

tied into a bow at the top of the head.

The petticoat hem finished
above the ankle

at a height which allowed a woman
to climb or descend the stairs

with her arms free for carrying.

In winter, long fingerless
knitted gloves were worn

to make up the gap left
by the short jacket sleeves.

Hooded cloaks or riding hoods were
the usual outdoor wear for all women.

From the mid-18th to
the early 19th century,

scarlet wool cloaks became so popular
with English countrywomen

that they are the closest England
came to a traditional dress.

The cloak was sometimes called a cardinal
because of its bright red color.

The cloaks are also immortalized in the
nursery tale Little Red Riding Hood.