Servants wore turned up collars with a plain necktie or cravat and a crisp, white shirt. Plain, dark coloured waistcoats were worn by all the menservants and were usually a cast-off from the master. Trousers can be either long or short, tucked into socks or cut off and elasticated at the knee.
What would servants wear?
Some ladies wear fancy dresses with lace or ruffles. But other women wear blue or gray dresses with white aprons and white caps on their heads. Some gentlemen wear colorful vests and ties, but there may be men wearing plain black pants and simple shirts and vests or even work aprons.
What did Victorian female servants wear?
When a girl became a maid of any sort—whether kitchen or chambermaid—she had to provide her own uniforms. A black dress and white apron for formal occasions when she was seen by the public, and a simpler dress to wear when she was doing the hard work.
What did poor people wear in Victorian era?
Poor Victorian women wore thin dirty dresses which were dark colours and made from cotton or wool because silk and linen would be far too expensive and wouldn’t last as long as they needed them to last for ages.
What did servants wear in the 18th century?
In the video, you can also see the type of clothes worn by a maid servant during the 18th century. Typically, they were much plainer than her mistress’s and were made of linen or wool rather than fine silk. A maid’s linen apron had a bib pinned into position at the front, the origin of the term pinafore.
What were female servants called?
A maid, or housemaid or maidservant, is a female domestic worker.
Did Victorian maids wear gloves?
Victorian etiquette books advised women to “never go out without gloves.” Her gloves, however, had to be on her hands before stepping food outside. Buttoning one’s gloves or tying one’s bonnet strings after leaving the house was simply unacceptable.
What did ladies maids wear?
No uniform was worn (unlike the lower servants), but simple, clean and neat attire was expected. The lady’s maid was the female equivalent of the valet – who was the manservant to the gentleman of the house.
What was the role of a ladies maid?
Traditionally a personal servant responsible for the Lady of the household. Duties include: care of the wardrobe and a Lady’s private rooms, care, cleaning, pressing and mending of a Lady’s clothes, preparation of clothes for packing.
What did wealthy Victorian girls wear?
The fashion of the 19th century is renowned for its corsets, bonnets, top hats, bustles and petticoats. Women’s fashion during the Victorian period was largely dominated by full skirts, which gradually moved to the back of the silhouette.
What did peasants wear in the Victorian era?
Maidens wore headband or crown, while married women had kerchief, headcloth or wife’s cap. The woollen shawl was a characteristic item of dress. Men wore a linen shirt, woollen trousers, a vest, a long, medium or short coat, a belt and a hat.
What did rich and poor Victorians wear?
Rich Victorians would have had lots of outfits and would have chosen material such as silk and satin for their finest clothes. Poor Victorians were not able to spend very much money on clothes. They had to choose practical and warm clothing and would not have had a selection of clothes to choose from.
What did poor Victorian children wear?
Poorer children often wore patched and mended clothes that had been bought second-hand or passed down through the family. Boots and shoes were the most expensive items and some children were forced to go barefoot, even in winter.
How old were servants in Victorian times?
The average age of a servant in Victorian England began between the ages of 10 and 13, so pre-puberty.
How did Victorian maids wear their hair?
Victorian ladies often styled their hair in simple chignons or coiled or interwoven plaits. (Petit Courrier des Dames, 1861.) A simple chignon or “bun” was another option for the Victorian lady of more moderate means. All that was needed was a handful of pins.
Did servants wear corsets?
Perhaps corsets were acceptable to those who bore the pain to be attractive. But the female servants downstairs are obliged to wear corsets as well, even though they don’t share the same fashion worries. The corsets often make it painful to bend down to clean grates or scrub floors.
Were servants allowed to marry?
A great majority of female domestic servants did get married, of course. On the average, they were about 25 years old when they married. By the time of marriage, they had, on average, been in service for some twelve years, and had been placed in between three to five situations.
How did Victorians address their servants?
The Lady’s Maid is given the title of “Miss ~”, and will be addressed as such, regardless of her marital status. The Tutor is given the title of “Mr ~”, and should be addressed as such. All other Servants should be addressed by their own Christian names.
When did they stop having ladies maids?
Such loyalty and long-standing employment between a lady’s maid and the lady of the house was common. The early 20th century started to see a decline in the use of a lady’s maid though the contrast of the lives of the staff and family on these estates still intrigues.
What did the Victorians use instead of toilet paper?
Before that, they used whatever was handy — sticks, leaves, corn cobs, bits of cloth, their hands. Toilet paper more or less as we know it today is a product of Victorian times; it was first issued in boxes (the way facial tissue is today) and somewhat later on the familiar rolls.
Why did Victorians not wash?
Did you know that Victorians didn’t wash their clothes regularly? This is because it was really hard work and so people didn’t want to do it all the time. Sometimes, they would go an entire month without washing them!