Basic Regecy Wardrobe?

[cosmoblue]

Does anyone know what an average person would have in their wardrobe. Like how many chemises, and how many gowns, and how many spencers? I know that there are records of Empress Josephine's insane wardrobe, but she was not anywhere near average.

[chiemi]

I believe that the allseeing one has a blog that is what she suggests is the basic wardrobe.
oregonregency.blogspot.com/2008/01/my-idea-of-good-basic-regency-wardrobe.html

[Goblin, esq.]

As for chemises and other undergarments (petticoats, stockings, etc) you'd want enough to last from laundry day to laundry day, plus extras, just in case. I recall reading about (but not where I read it) an entire wardrobe being donated to a museum. It was a bit earlier than regency, about 1770's, I think, but there were around 20 sets of underclothes (chemises, petticoats, etc.) all numbered (so you'd wear chemise 4 with petticoats 4, etc.) (I don't recall how they were numbered; probably cross-stitch.)

Remember that laundry was an all day affair (or sometimes two days), and was probably done every other week.

I have no idea how many outer clothes the average person owned, but clothes were expensive and meant to last.

[cosmoblue]

I am just really curious, because I am imagining my wardrobe and I am wondering how practical it would be have the amount of clothing I am dreaming of.

[chiemi]

chrisber said:

As for chemises and other undergarments (petticoats, stockings, etc) you'd want enough to last from laundry day to laundry day, plus extras, just in case. I recall reading about (but not where I read it) an entire wardrobe being donated to a museum. It was a bit earlier than regency, about 1770's, I think, but there were around 20 sets of underclothes (chemises, petticoats, etc.) all numbered (so you'd wear chemise 4 with petticoats 4, etc.) (I don't recall how they were numbered; probably cross-stitch.)

Remember that laundry was an all day affair (or sometimes two days), and was probably done every other week.

I have no idea how many outer clothes the average person owned, but clothes were expensive and meant to last.

You wealth of knowledge is amazing! Where did you learn all this? Was is just reading books, or have you gone to school for it?

[Goblin, esq.]

chiemi said:

chrisber said:

As for chemises and other undergarments (petticoats, stockings, etc) you'd want enough to last from laundry day to laundry day, plus extras, just in case. I recall reading about (but not where I read it) an entire wardrobe being donated to a museum. It was a bit earlier than regency, about 1770's, I think, but there were around 20 sets of underclothes (chemises, petticoats, etc.) all numbered (so you'd wear chemise 4 with petticoats 4, etc.) (I don't recall how they were numbered; probably cross-stitch.)

Remember that laundry was an all day affair (or sometimes two days), and was probably done every other week.

I have no idea how many outer clothes the average person owned, but clothes were expensive and meant to last.

You wealth of knowledge is amazing! Where did you learn all this? Was is just reading books, or have you gone to school for it?

Most of the stuff I know are things I read somewhere. I've been interested in the Georgian/Regency era for years, so I've done a lot of reading. I don't always remember every thing correctly, and and I mentioned above, I don't always remember where I read something.

[Goblin, esq.]

The collection at the Gallery of English Costume, Manchester, includes "a group of beautifully made underclothes, caps and linen marked 'Fanny Jarvis', all dated between 1818 and 1834." They have no history of Fanny Jarvis, so they "guess that she was a typical gentlewoman of her day, blessed with ample means and fastidious taste, and that someone in her family thought her clothes worth preserving."

"All have been given laundry numbers at the time of making. The night-dress is numbered 17, the chemise 9, and the highest number among the caps is 6. Though we do not know the contents of her complete linen closet, this suggests that Fanny Jarvis possessed at least a dozen and a half night-dresses and perhaps a dozen chemises. Her wardrobe also contained half a dozen each of plan striped white cotton nightcaps, finely checked white cotton nightcaps with 'weepers' (long lappets), and white checked muslin morning caps with frills and embroidered insertions."

There are also references to doing laundry yearly, quarterly, and twice a month. Doing a year's worth of laundry sounds like a staggering task, but gives an idea of the economies of scale.

Quoted from Fabric of Society: A Century of People and Their Clothes, 1770-1870 by Jane Tozer, Sarah Levitt

www.amazon.com/Fabric-Society-Century-Clothes-1770-1870/dp/0312279515/

[cosmoblue]

Thanks so much Chris. That is excellent information.

[elizabethw]

Feb 15, 2008 1:12:40 GMT -5 Goblin, esq. said:

I recall reading about (but not where I read it) an entire wardrobe being donated to a museum. It was a bit earlier than regency, about 1770's, I think, but there were around 20 sets of underclothes (chemises, petticoats, etc.) all numbered (so you'd wear chemise 4 with petticoats 4, etc.) (I don't recall how they were numbered; probably cross-stitch.)

My understanding of such laundry markings was not that you had to wear the same numbered chemise with the same numbered petticoat (as you won't need the same number of petticoats as you need chemises or caps etc.) but when you send your washing out to a laundress you have a record that you sent her chemises number 14 and 9 and petticoat number 3 and you will know that you get exactly the same items back because they have your name and a number on them.

On the original topic, there's going to be a lot of variation accross the social spectrum from Empress Josephine (a fashion lover with money enough to indulge her passion) to a street urchin who only has the clothes she stands up in. So in order to identify the 'average' wardrobe you've got to identify who is an 'average' person and how much money they have.

[cosmoblue]

Nov 25, 2008 18:02:13 GMT -5 elizabethw said:

On the original topic, there's going to be a lot of variation accross the social spectrum from Empress Josephine (a fashion lover with money enough to indulge her passion) to a street urchin who only has the clothes she stands up in. So in order to identify the 'average' wardrobe you've got to identify who is an 'average' person and how much money they have.

Using Austen characters as examples. I was thinking about someone like Jane and Elizabeth Bennett or Catherine Moreland. (I always assume that Emma and Anne had a much larger wardrobe.) Not exactly rich but owners of property. I am also curious to know what lower class people would have had like Fanny's family as well as the rich like Madame Recamier (I know she isn't an Austen character but I love her) and Empress Jospehine and Dolley Madison.

[Goblin, esq.]

Nov 25, 2008 18:02:13 GMT -5 elizabethw said:

Feb 15, 2008 1:12:40 GMT -5 Goblin, esq. said:

I recall reading about (but not where I read it) an entire wardrobe being donated to a museum. It was a bit earlier than regency, about 1770's, I think, but there were around 20 sets of underclothes (chemises, petticoats, etc.) all numbered (so you'd wear chemise 4 with petticoats 4, etc.) (I don't recall how they were numbered; probably cross-stitch.)

My understanding of such laundry markings was not that you had to wear the same numbered chemise with the same numbered petticoat (as you won't need the same number of petticoats as you need chemises or caps etc.) but when you send your washing out to a laundress you have a record that you sent her chemises number 14 and 9 and petticoat number 3 and you will know that you get exactly the same items back because they have your name and a number on them.

Your understanding is almost certainly correct. I'm not sure where my original statement came from; I can only plead exhaustion after work, and my own inclination to over-organize.

On the original topic, there's going to be a lot of variation accross the social spectrum from Empress Josephine (a fashion lover with money enough to indulge her passion) to a street urchin who only has the clothes she stands up in. So in order to identify the 'average' wardrobe you've got to identify who is an 'average' person and how much money they have.

Indeed. When I tracked down the passage I'd read, it was for "a typical gentlewoman of her day", so probably equivalent to one of Miss Austen's better-off characters.