We should keep in mind that our definition of modesty would differ greatly from their definition of modesty. Also, what we consider "uncomfortable", because we don't do it / wear it all the time, was not necessarily uncomfortable to them, because they grew up dressing that way, there was no alternative. I was in the train station the other day waiting for my train, and a woman came in wearing a cotton sundress, about 5-6" above her knees. Her only undergarments (assuming here) were her knickers. Today she would be considered covered and "decent", in the 1800s she would be considered nekked. We can't help but apply our 21st century mindset to everything we do, even dressing 18th or 19th century or earlier. Cactus >way to "drop a penny" was to have the drawers split. You just couldn't get >at them to pull them down from the waist. > >Kim
That's not necessarily so. When in my 1840s outfit for Sutter's Fort, I simply do not wear any bifurcated garments. With 5 layers (shift, 3 petticoats, and dress) between me and the outside world (and no inclination to do cartwheels), my modesty is safe. I find split drawers to be very uncomfortable as they never fit properly and caused me to get badly chaffed. So all I need to do is pick up all the layers and take care of "business". Joan Jurancich joa...@surewest.net _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
