What my grandmother told me when I was a girl but a little background. she was born in Virginia in 1882. Her Father was an Anglo-Irish earl, who had relinquished his title to become an American citizen, and he became a circuit riding preacher after taking his family to West Virginia and farming there. My Grandmother, in her teens, went to work for another farm family, until she was nearly twenty. She earned fifty-cents a week, which would buy three yards of dress goods to make a work dress. The farmer's wife,from France, who became her MIL, was the area dress maker by default. the work dress fell loosely from the shoulders to slightly below the waist line. The dress skirt was attached there and there was a buttoned placket opening in the front from the neckline. I don't remember if she said it, the placket, fell to the hem, which was just above the ankles. The placket opening could button either to the left or right depending on the needs of the woman for whom it was made fo! r convenience when nursing. The sleeves were loose and long, buttoned, and often rolled, when working, to be kept clean. When working the fields it could be, that is was, often worn over mans loose work pants and and shirt. In the field, with only family present, it might be removed, but kept nearby in case another person appeared. A woman in engaged in field work would ride astride but kept the dress on. Her shoes, similar to brogans, ankle height lace-ups, cost her three weeks wages. In house she wore the dress with a straight cotton or wool slip and an apron either wrap around or pinned bib. Her stockings were heavy lisle fastened at the knee. Her drawers were crotch opened for ease of elimination and she wore no bra. Does this help. Please respond.
in the high boonies of Central Texas ________________________________________ PeoplePC Online A better way to Internet http://www.peoplepc.com _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
