What did working Victorians wear?

What did working Victorians wear?

Working-class people’s clothes were plain and functional. Fine fabrics and brightly colored cloths were unaffordable luxuries for those working in factories and workshops. Workers needed clothing that would not get dirty or damaged quickly while they were busy.

What would a poor Victorian wear?

Poor Victorian men wore a vest, a shirt, a bow tie, coat (sometimes even down to their knees because it was bought from a 3rd or 4th hand shop and they wouldn’t try it on to see if it was the right size for them) pants, trousers, rarely shoes and a cap.

How did Victorians clean their clothes?

Very dirty clothes, or very heavy ones, were often soaked in lye first, then boiled. Lighter garments were washed in cold or lukewarm water by hand. Contrary to most modern notions, only the dirtiest items, or garments with the toughest stains, were scrubbed on a washboard.

How did Victorians keep clothes white?

English-speaking countries saw riverside washing, laundry bats, intermittent “great washes”, and the use of ashes and lye tail away. Later Victorians thought these methods were old-fashioned or quaint. Laundry soap was often the cheap, soft, dark soap that was fairly easy to mix into hot water.

What did men wear in the Victorian era?

Victorian men would likely wear straight legged pants with a long thick skirt or vest. Again, comfortable enough for their everyday activities. Unlike the lower class Victorians, the middle class had more outfits to pick from, depending on their income.

Who was the chimney sweeper in the Victorian era?

Generally, sweepers were children, mainly boys and not adults. Chimney sweeping was a dirty job (this is a later period image) Chimney sweeper is a poor man who cleans chimneys to make a living. Generally, sweepers were children, mainly boys and not adults. Chimney sweeps are also featured in Victorian literature.

What kind of clothes did men wear in the 1850s?

For most of the period the trousers were narrow, with slight variation of width, but in the late 1850s and early 1860s the “peg-top” trouser, wide at the top of the leg and tapering to the ankle, was a distinctive fashion.

What did women wear in the 18th century?

The invention of the sewing machine in the late 18th century enabled women to wear sewn clothes. The use of machine brought about a lot of change in the clothing fashion. The dressing is dated between 1740 and 1785. Note the flat front of the pointed bodice, the split overskirt with exposed underskirt.