Skagen
by Michael Peter Ancher
Promenade on the Beach
by Michael Peter Ancher 1849-1927
by Michael Peter Ancher 1849-1927
On the Cliffs
by Arthur Hopkins 1848-1930
Contemplation
by Henry John Yeend King
Beach Scene
by John Gadsby Chapman
The Promenade, Scarborough
by John Syer
The Promenade, Scarboroughby John Syer
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The Quay
Painted by Emmanuel Phillips Fox, Australian artist
It is interesting to see the women's clothing on public beaches, before the 20th century. I can understand why an artist would choose them as a theme for a painting.
It is also kind of relieving to the eyes to see women on the beach fully clothed, yet relaxed and enjoying the sun. There were special light weight clothes for this activity, which were less hot than many summer outfits today.
It is also kind of relieving to the eyes to see women on the beach fully clothed, yet relaxed and enjoying the sun. There were special light weight clothes for this activity, which were less hot than many summer outfits today.
Several people have asked about bathings suits of previous centuries. There are pictures of these on the web and there are patterns you can still get. They looked like a sailor suit with leggings and a skirt. You can also find 19th century photographs of women swimming in these outfits.
If you lack motivation for sewing, here are a few ideas: Spring and Summer are a time to dress in fabrics that reflect the beauty of the season. You can get a lot of ideas for clothing, just by observing what is going on during the season, and creating clothing to go with an activity. For example, you make a special outfit to wear to the sea shore, by using the fabrics available with tiny prints or colors of the beach. A rose garden can give you ideas for fabrics and colors of flowers, and having friends over for tea or a visit, can inspire you to make something for the occasion. Sometimes you can get fabrics with tea cups on them, or, you can create a costume. Someone who had hosted a lunch for some friends, made her table cloth and place mats, and then made an apron for herself of the same fabric. Her dress matched the setting she had created with her dishes and table cloth.
If you have never sewn, start with a table napkin or some small thing that is easy.
Below is a detail of the collar on a dress made of flocked muslin. It is gathered in the center and secured with a cameo button, which you can get in the button section of any fabric store.
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The dress is made from a pattern similar to New Look #6352. Narrow-shouldered women will have to mark the neckline closer to the neck. It is easy to add sleeves from another pattern, and ties, to this pattern. You may also have to raise the neckline. If you have large upper arms, use a puff sleeve pattern, as it seems to be a bit more roomy. Make sure you measure around your arm and then measure around the pattern to determine your size. We used to pin the pattern completely together and try on the pattern, before we cut out the dress.
To make the bust large, cut the pattern larger at the bustline. To make shoulders narrow, cut the pattern smaller on armholes and shoulder tops.
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(This has not been ironed yet. I was anxious to get it on the dress form for a photo)
I lengthened the hem by adding a piece of battenburg lace curtain that I had saved.
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This is shown at the beach, with an easy shawl, that I hope to do a tutorial on, so that you can make one yourself.
On this trial run at wearing the dress outside,I did find out that the collar should be tacked down in front and at the sides.
hint: If you are using a cotton fabric you want to iron with a hot iron, you should try to use cotton trims. Synthetic collars and cuffs and other insets will melt under a hot iron.
If you are not used to sewing, do not plunge in headlong. Just sew something small and simple so that you can have a quick success. Do not choose patterns that are complicated. Just find one with a front and a back and no zipper. Look at the fabric suggestions on the back of the envelope. If you aren't an experienced seamstress, you will do better using cotton. Also, cotton does not dull the scissors or pins or needles as fast as synthetics do.
If your daughters want to sew, encourage them to keep a record or album of their dresses. As they grow up and get rid of things, it is always nice to have a photo if they want to make one like it in the future.
45 comments:
I wanted to share this quick story with you.
I went into a plus size clothing shop yesterday to get some pantyhose ( I feel a personal conviction about wearing them even in the summer)and they were having a stock up sale. So I bought several pairs and it reminded me of when back several years ago I worked in an alzheimer's retirement home and I always took care of a patient that wanted her pantyhose on and would ask for them. SHe may not have been with us enough to know anything else, but she knew if she was well dressed or not. She loved to wear her dresses and panythose and if we ever failed to put them on her,she would ask us"Young lady,where are my hose?" She was 92. If she were in a pair of pants, She would tell us that she did not like that and where were her hose? I admired this woman greatly. The dresses posted on today's blog reminded me of this woman, the beauty flowing from them and just looking at them makes me feel more feminine to be blessed to get to wear such things. I love the white dress with the pink sash on the cliffs.
As I was shopping for my hose,I was also looking at some clearance items as the store was preparing for fall items to arrive and it was atrocious, the things offered on the rack. No sleeves, plunging neck lines to the belly buttone(!?!)and big pieces of jewelry at the waist. Most plus sized women like me do NOT need to draw attention to the waist.
My hubby,who is a minister, is always thanking me for showing some modesty in my dressing,as he is often appalled by what he sees. When bra or panty commercials come on, he will turn his head. He hates to see that.
I read your comment from yesterday's post and yes, I agree that I used to wear men's shirts because they fit better and were not big floweredy prints.
That was before the conviction I felt of not dressing or wearing anything that pertains to a man. Your blog is encouraging to me. Thank You.
Jeanie
I've been reading your blog for at least a year. You've kept me thinking. But until this series of posts, I wasn't totally convinced about the dresses only thing. You've helped me uncover a huge gap in my modesty and femininity. Thank you.
After these posts, I'm sewing more than I have in years. I have several dresses planned in my mind for myself and my granddaughters. For my granddaughter's (5 girls so far) I'm going to make Practically Perfect's gathered shift in pastel eyelet (lined of course.)This fabric is on sale at Joann's right now. I'm planning a denim and blue eyelet work dress, a garden print dress like your yellow one, a featherwhale courduroy dress in a pattern taken from my favorite Pendleton dress, and more. I'd like to sew a few table clothes and napkins. I found a fun, easy apron pattern for free at the fabric store that I'm going to make in a whimsical brown egg and chicken wire print. Now if I could just find a bee print.
I've noticed a nice difference in treatment I get from strangers of the opposite sex. I get a lot of smiles, doors opened, may I help you, and so on. It's as if I've been transformed from a man with bosoms into a lady.
nice idea! but when I'm not so good in sewing and would like to try learning, what sewing method and sewing machine do u think I should use?? thanks
I will be posting photographs of my own beach scenes, tomorrow.
Sewing frees you from dependence upon the current fashions. It makes everyone look different, yet with a dress for women, it is still somewhat uniform.
For the lady who asked about the "whale-butt-muffin-top" problems with dresses and skirts: It comes from pushing your flesh around in too small of garments, whether they be underwear or outerwear. Hose is sometimes made for low-cut clothing, and it can have the same effect, even if are wearing a dress that fully covers you.
If you are new at sewing, just try a gathered skirt with an elastic waistband. You can make it without a pattern.
If things do not turn out, you can use it for something else. As sewing skill increases, you learn to improvise.
Dear Lady Lydia,
How much do I appreciate your so
informative posts concerning Women's Dresses in our Society.
Everyday, I enjoy so much reading
your post. Thank You!
Have a Blessed Sunday!
With Love.
Maria Laetitia
I have never sewn but my mother-in-law has said she will give me her old machine! A table napkin sounds like a great start! Thank you for the great idea!
Dear Lady Lydia,
I'm so much enjoying the beautiful paintings, you show us! They are so inspiring. You also explain us so well, how one can get inspiration out of them for our own dresses. It's such a long time, that I was longing for such information. I always looked at these pictures and wondered, how one could sew something alike, without that it would be too much like a costume.
I'm full of plans to sew up some new dresses for myself. I will tell you, how I manage!
Warm regards
Some sewing hints:
I like WalMart white thread, called "Mainstays" , 1000 yards, for beginning sewing. It is made in India and while other spools of thread only last one garment, and barely that, this one does not have a hollow spool to trick you into thinking you have a lot of thread. It fills up several bobbins and sews several dresses. It mainly comes in white, which is perfect for most cottons.
To make a painting-inspired dress, just choose any pattern you can sew easily and find fabric similar to the picture you saw. Add some trim or lace like you see in the picture. It is the effect you are looking for, not the exact replica but there is nothing wrong with trying to sew them as costumes if you like. For every day wear, just find a simple pattern. It does not matter what pattern, as long as it is made for wovens such as cotton. Make sure you read the SUGGESTED FABRICS on the back of the envelope.
For beginners, the iron and the sewing machine are inseparable. You have to press after each step. Even if you hand sew, you have to press. It keeps seams from looking puckered. It also sets the stitches into the fabric. Use hot iron on most cotton fabrics.
My children and I are getting ready to go on an extended trip to visit my family. While I'm visiting, I'll have plenty of help with the children, so I intend to take some of my fabrics and make some dresses and skirts for my daughter and me. I found a great pattern for a pretty top to go over a skirt. I will make a long denim skirt to go with it. I've needed new clothes for a long time as I tend to wear old t-shirts, jeans or denim capri pants all the time. The other day, I was at a children's birthday party and saw an older lady wearing a purple top with gorgeous purple jewelry to match. She had well-done makeup and her long hair was graying naturally and held in a smooth pony tail. She is clearly in her 50's but looked beautiful. After this series of posts and seeing her, I can't keep on dressing like such a slob. All the posts you have mentioned about robbing children of pretty skirts to hide behind and nice things to look at have really hit hard. Bless you as you continue this ministry!
This particular piece of fabric wrinkles and it difficult to iron, but I am going to wear it anyway. As it is worn and washed, it will get softer and easier to iron.
So beautiful! Well guess what...I finally got the 'whatever' to lose my extra weight so I can look prettier in these dresses! Started July 6th. For some reason it is kind of easy to stick with it .... probably because I have a LOVELY goal! Thank you!
Last week I dragged my only dress from my closet...not worn in a few years... which was red w. small ivory cabbage roses. My youngest son was just in awe: he said "Mom, you look beautiful," and later that night he said "Mom, you still look pretty." Everyone treated me very well that day and several gentlemen said I looked pretty... and I could tell they meant "pretty"...NOT "hot", "cool," "stylish" or "en vogue." I felt great.
One thing you could/should address is something that, I believe, holds women back from dresses and skirts: feeling like a "stuffed tick" in them. Keeping/getting slim should be a priority. I'm a pretty small woman, but I am not lucky enough to be hourglass shaped, and I gain fat on my tummy like a man does. Could you also discuss what dresses look best on which body types?
Thank you for sharing your lovely blog and patterns with us.
Marie
Last week I dragged my only dress from my closet...not worn in a few years... which was red w. small ivory cabbage roses. My youngest son was just in awe: he said "Mom, you look beautiful," and later that night he said "Mom, you still look pretty." Everyone treated me very well that day and several gentlemen said I looked pretty... and I could tell they meant "pretty"...NOT "hot", "cool," "stylish" or "en vogue." I felt great.
One thing you could/should address is something that, I believe, holds women back from dresses and skirts: feeling like a "stuffed tick" in them. Keeping/getting slim should be a priority. I'm a pretty small woman, but I am not lucky enough to be hourglass shaped, and I gain fat on my tummy like a man does. Could you also discuss what dresses look best on which body types? (ie. I have a 28" waist and 34" hips)
Thank you for sharing your lovely blog and patterns with us.
Marie
Thank you Lady Lydia for these posts. It is so kind of you to share your wisdom with us. I know it takes time to do this. But, believe me, you are an inspiration to me and to many others. A voice in the wilderness. A clarion call for beauty, refinement, and dignity, in the midst of bitterness, ugliness, and spite. I really do appreciate all of your efforts. Thank you so very much.
Does spray-starch help with ironing this fabric? These are beautiful clothes. You really give me inspiration. They look comfortable, too. I have large upper arms, and will try puffy sleeved garments. Thanks for the tip.
To anonymous losing weight - me too!! I wish you great success!
Thanks, Lady Lydia, for your inspiration. This is very pretty!
I'm just curious- do you wear long sleeves in the summer? What is the climate like where you live? I live in Texas and simply cannot imagine wearing long sleeves no matter how lightweight they are. I'm on the hot natured side anyways and rarely wear a coat in the winter, just a sweater...
For those looking for easy and free patterns to start sewing, I recommend "sewing at about.com". There are some great easy things to sew there, like table napkins and an easy apron that takes one yard of fabric. I made the apron and it came out so cute I made another as a gift. The directions are very detailed.
I absolutely get dirty in the garden. I am out there off and on all throughout the day,..especially at this time of the year. I have decided I need some pretty aprons to wear out there too. I need someway to keep looking fresh and clean dispite liking to get my hands in the soil :) If I made some aprons for the garden use only that much more dirt would stay off my other clothes. I will put an extra piece at the bottom above the hem and divide it in two. That way I have a place for a seed packets or a few pieces of vegetables that I am bringing into the house. I have bought some pretty used baskets with handles for carrying the veggies and fruit but sometimes they overflow! Lady Lydia you have got me thinking where else in my home I need to pretty things up too :)
I can recommend investing in a garment steamer to cope with those items that are difficult to iron. You hang the garment you wish to de-wrinkle, and steam away. It doesn't set in creases in sleeves, but otherwise, it will give your clothing a very nice finish, without having to lay it out on the ironing board. It can reach those difficult to iron wrinkles.
Best of all, if something made from rayon or wool has shrunk, the steam from the steamer will help it regain its original dimensions! I thought I had ruined a couple of nice things when my husband put them in the dryer (wool and rayon can be washed if treated with care, you do not have to dry clean), but a brief session with the steamer "relaxed" the fabric back to the original size. That was quite a savings that made the initial cost of the steamer well worth it!
They are not that expensive any longer, and there are several models available, from the stand types with a big water reservoir and steam head to small, compact devices that are all in one.
They save a lot of ironing!
Please don't stop these posts! This gives us inspiration and ideas for sewing our own dresses.
Lady Lydia--I am love, love,LOVING these posts!! Please don't quit.
I've been dresses only for about 1.5 years now, after being "jeans only" for about 40 years--but have been mainly wearing my t-shirts feminine, not the guy-kind) with denim or khaki skirts. I have a whole stash of beautiful fabric that I have collected over the years with the intent of making beautiful dresses, but just needed inspiration such as this--many, many thanks!!
I'm having fun checking back to see what others are asking and saying. I agree--your work in writing and photographing is very apprieciated. I'm so happy when I see a new article posted on your blog. I read them all, but this last series has been especially meaningful.
I wanted to mention a very frugal way to buy patterns. I find mine at thrift stores and garage sales! I never pay more that .10 to .50 and 90% of the time they are new and uncut. I find current patterns and also lovely vintage ones from the 50's. Just picked up a Laura Ashley pattern yesterday and I didn't even know there was such a pattern line! I also buy all my lace and trims there too- normally a large bag of lace and trims for under a dollar. These items are usually tucked away in a corner so it pays to look around! When I buy these at church sales the older ladies working there always ask, "What do you want with that old stuff?!" I smile and try to explain- they tell me how they used to sew but it's not worth the trouble now. I encourage them to start again :o) Thank you for this wonderful series!
For the gardening lady: I make garden aprons from the fronts of old denim skirts. Just cut up the side seams to take the back off and add some ties! You have pockets already there and you can sew more on if needed. I add some trims and it is ready :o) I like them long so I can kneel down and not get my dress dirty and the denim is strong so I can wipe my hands, etc.
On another note: don't forget to ask your husband what he likes-I took mine to the fabric store with me and we looked at prints together. I asked him to pick what he would like to see me in and it was fun! His tastes are more colorful than mine but it was good to know and keep in mind. I want to be attractive for him!
Dear Lady Lydia,
you're right, what a difference between the beautiful paintings and the beach scene from our time! It's just disgusting.
You are a blessing for my life and such an inspiration in dressing matters, homemaking, hospitality, crafting and frugality.
You set me thinking so often and thanks to your adive I have changed already much in my life.
Thanks and kindest regards
I too pulled my dresses out of the closet this summer and started wearing them again. I think what had happened was I was bored of them, so I re-accessorized them with different scarves and jewelery I already had for when I go out of the house.
Not sure if this will do the same thing as a steamer, but I usually hang a dress in the bathroom while everyone is showering so that the wrinkles from hanging in the closet are steamed out. might this help stretch the fabric?
THis pattern has no zipper. It is very very easy. If you mess up, you can use it for daily wear to work those grunge jobs in the house.
In hot weather, white cotton is the way to go. It seems to reflect the heat and it stays dry or dries quickly.
The pictures of you at the beach in your white dress are lovely. If only more people would dress so nice while at the beach! :)
May I have permission to post (and reference you) the article about "Staying Home is Not a Waste of Time?"
You know, I love the LENGTH of these dresses. They would be as comfortable as a nightgown, because of the length and the cotton material. It is easy to bend over in a long dress. Nice for colder weather, too.
I remember reading in a Christian fellowship's magazine, once, about ushers in church having to pass communion through the pews at church services, and having to pass the communion over a sea of women's legs (this was in the era of miniskirts).
I remember thinking how awful that must be for male ushers taking up offerings or passing out communion, etc., and having to look at "a sea of women's legs."
Longer skirts prevent this. Also, you don't have to keep tugging at them.
"STAYING HOME IS NOT A WASTE OF TIME" is found where??? I really want to read and share that one! Thank you Lady Lydia (and friends) for helping me out on here! ;)
I think you just type in the name of the article in the search area.
You are welcome to link or refer this article.ALso you can print it out for your notebook.
I'm sooooooo glad I checked back one more time. The pictures of you at the beach are amazing. I used to wear my hawaiian mumus at the beach. Nobody batted an eye. But I had a hard time holding my head up with all the Speedos and bikinis. This is a great idea for mainland beach going. I want pictures like that. Oh no, now I have another project. I'll check back again.
I really appreciate what you are doing Lady Lydia, but putting lovely paintings on your site and trying to bring back modesty and femininity to our culture. The photos of your dresses are very pretty and it inspires me to try someday to learn to sew! It would be wonderful to be able to create my clothes just the way I want them!
One question I had was about getting older. I am 42 years old. The majority of the paintings I've seen featured on your site and in general from 100 or more years ago are of very young women. Was there any distinction in times past as to what colors or patterns a 40-something matron would wear versus what her young unmarried daughter would wear?
A free source for patterns, material and even sewing machines can be FreeCycle. You can find a group near you online by searching for your location and Freecycle.
I see sewing machines offered there sometimes, as well as fabric, yarn and patterns! It can be hard to get things with all the others looking and trying to get the items, but a couple of months ago, I was given an entire copy paper box full of patterns! All I had to do was email the lady making the offer and drive to her home to pick up the box. It would have cost me a fortune to buy so many patterns. Many were from the 80s an 90s and were for simple dresses in my size!
Let me preface my question by saying I am in total agreement of your blog and the need for modesty and wearing dresses. I appreciate your showing pictures of ladies in full flowing dresses at the beach. Your dress is especially lovely and it is nice to see an example on a person, not just a painting from long ago. However I did ask a serious question in my previous comment and didn't see it posted and am still looking for an answer. Did the ladies from that era (or now for that matter) who wore dresses at the beach actually swim? And if they did swim, didn't the material cling and thus become less modest? I'm not poking fun - I really do want to know. Or should we just be avoiding public beaches b/c of the immodesty? Our family bought a backyard swimming pool b/c we felt visually defiled by the public undress and wanted to be able to swim without that distraction.
In answer to the lady who wanted to know if ladies in times past swam in their dresses - no, they had what were referred to as "bathing costumes". You can do a google search on Victorian bathing costumes and come up with tons of information, but in general, they were made from wool, and looked like a dress, often with leggings underneath, and bathing shoes, which kept you from cutting your feet on rocks, glass, etc. There are many recreationist sites that have excellent copies of antique bathing costumes.
I believe that swimming as recreation has been a fairly recent development historically, and it was more a man's thing than for women, with women not taking part until late in the 1800's. But walking on the beach, fully clothed, was extremely popular and was often referred to as taking a promenade. I do know that Queen Victoria enjoyed swimming, and even had a special pavilion that she entered to go into the water, as it was considered unseemly for people to see the Queen wading out into the waves in her swimming costume. It could be that swimming as recreation and exercise for women became more popular once the Queen set the trend.
To everyone who has written questions about sports, such as golf, tennis, skiing and swimming, and also questions about cold weather dressing:
I have been looking for photographs and paintings of these activities in the 1800's for a future post.
To answer questions:
Yes women did play golf and competed in long skirts, and yes, they did play tennis and volleyball in longer dresses. Today they dont think they can have a good game unless they are in a bikini.
Skiing--yes, they wore dresses designed for the slopes.
As for the bathing suits, go here:
http://www.eriding.net/media/photos/history/victorian/seaside/080712_rfoster_mp_his_vict_seaside_swimearlyvics.jpg
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.premierclothing.com/ProdImages/056sailorswim40.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.premierclothing.com/scripts/prodView.asp%3Fidproduct%3D112&usg=__mG5C-AU2eJAIt_IADlXLe8bctdk=&h=464&w=308&sz=79&hl=en&start=8&tbnid=eOFztkkKYIYj2M:&tbnh=128&tbnw=85&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dphotographs%2Bvictorian%2Bswimwear%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX
http://www.agelesspatterns.com/swimwear_1.htm
These show photographs or patterns. There are some sewing sites you can go where they talk about what the different layers on a bathing suit were for.
It is possible to dress modestly in any sport.
The Victorians made sea bathing more popular by having special suits to wear in public. They also invented the little shack that they took to the beach and erected for the purpose of changing. Sometimes that would be put right up to the shore so that people could jump in and still keep their privacy.
There are many pictures you can find on the web of women in the 1800's in colder climates, dressed in dresses and long coats. No one had bare legs beneath the dresses because they had bloomers and pantaloons and layers of warm petticoats.
The Victorians were most inventive, and proved that where there is a will, there is a way. The idea of having your own swimming pavillion right in the water where it would shelter you from prying eyes, showed their reserve and desire for privacy in things as delicate as swimming, where there might be offense taken if someone saw you in clingy clothes. In private, women swam in their own lakes, just in regular clothes. Sometimes they wore pantaloons or breeches to swim in, but the girls usually swam with girls, and boys with the boys. Families swam together and not much care had to be taken if you had your own private lake or creek, as far as modesty went. I personally think they were not as anxious to show off their bodies as people are today, as they probably just wanted to swim. I dont see as many people in the water today as on the beach sunning. The swim costumes look like dresses today, which shows how short that modern dresses are.
To the one who asked about the difference between older women's clothing and girls clothing:
In past history, little girls wore short dresses and grown ups wore long dresses. Little girls had their hair down, loose, and older girls wore their hair up.
Today it is strange that little girls have the lovely dresses but the older women have nothing but shorts and capris and jeans and clinging tops. It is the older women who need to be covered more.
That was the main difference between girls and women in their clothing.
I am in my 60's and I dress like a grown up woman, in dresses, but they are modest dresses, and not stretchy things. I'm not fat, but I still dont want to show off all my skin to the public. I prefer a dress with a little sweater jacket over it.
Yes, because there is no zipper, most of these dresses can be worn for nightgowns. If you want to make the New Look pattern (see the post for the number) you just add a longer sleeve with an elastic casing at the wrist or a long sleeve with no cuff. It makes a perfect night gown and there are all kinds of nice cotton flannels to choose from.
Lydia,
Two starting resources for you re sporting attire of the early 20th century and before;
'Costume and Fashion' by James Laver
and
'The Encyclopedia of World Costume' by Doreen Yarwood.
They're older publications but they should act as a good launchpad . Cycling, horseriding, golf and tennis were all played in dresses; you should be able to 'Youtube' footage of 1905 Wymbledon tennis with the ladies in their dresses.
Of course, ladies would 'ride aside'; to see how this is making a comeback, not only for able bodied riders, but for disabled riders, read
http://www.newrider.com/Specialisms/Side-saddle/disabled.html
And to see how its making a comeback with able bodied riders see
http://www.sidesaddle.com/
and
http://www.americansidesaddleassociation.org/profiles.htm
As for cold weather dress-wear, its all about the underlayers; wearing a good 'City Rose' or 'Tello' pair of legings and full slip beneath ones skirt and blouse or dress is important; also, the fabric of the dress/skirt & top itself; good cotton drill, flannel or wool (for skirt & jacket)... I posted some Polyvore links that covered modest winterwear a few article's comments back... If one is working outside during a Northern Winter, this along with appropriate jacket or coat, shoes and socks, gloves and headwear will be a good start; remember ladies, we've only opted out over the past 50 years or so; it seems collectively, we've lost our memory, yes??
As for swimwear, with modern swimsuit fabrics and modest patterns, this is the easiest trick in the book, ladies, google 'Wholesomewear', 'modest swimwear', 'Lilly's apparrel' (she's got swimsuits) or even the Aussie Bourkini'; in Australia and the Southern US, modest swimwear makes sense; ever seen a loved one dying from end-stage melanoma that has spread????? let me tell you, its horrible. In summer, we only need 5 mins of sun on face and arms per day in the cool of the morning or afternoon to get the right amount of vitamin D; in winter, for extreme Southern or Northern latitudes, (Tasmania, and its Northern Hemisphere equivalents) for winter, its about an hour, but any further into the equator , sun exposure to face and arms even in winter is much less (the summer exposure figures are for more extreme Southern or Northern latitudes......Somewhere such as Sydney, its about 5-10 minutes year round in the earlier morning or later afternoon (avoiding exposure in the middle of the day).
Modest swimwear makes common health sense; not just modest sense.
Hello. I am the poster who asked about matron's versus young unmarried women's clothing styles.
An anonymous lady (who described herself as in her 60's) responded I believe to my post by referring to the difference between women's and little girls' clothes.
I'm afraid I must not have maide myself clear.
I wasn't asking about the difference between a child and a woman. I was asking about the difference between a young unmarried woman of marriageable age and an older married woman.
Are bows, ribbons, lace, flowered patterns, pastels and so forth the type of style that matrons would have worn in the past?
The lovely paintings we often see on this site and elsewhere depicting beautifully dressed women, seem often to primarily feature young women in their late teens and early twenties.
Lady Lydia, do you know if there were any differences in color, material or adornment for older married women in the past?
Thank you so much for this series!! It has really shown me how the painting and pictures you display on your site can be PRACTICAL inspiration toward developing a true feminine style without looking like you are wearing a costume. This is one of my favorite series that I have seen on a blog. I feel now like it CAN be done, it doesn't need to complicated, or cookie-cutter, or expensive, or boring. Thank you and God bless you and your family.
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