The human mind is a strange thing, I have no idea what made me think of this. I was saying to Lady M recently that 'house coats' must be a thing of the past.
I had an Aunt in Shropshire (she died back in the 80's) who always wore a 'house coat'. She put it on in the morning, over her normal clothes, and wore it all day long. I think at that time most of her neighbours did the same. It was a housewife's uniform.
This lovely looking lady (below) is French, and shows the classic apron previously worn by most French housewives; again it was like a uniform.
Just as a matter of interest I looked on Amazon to see if house coats still existed. I came across plenty of Aprons, and short things called 'tabards', but no actual house coats.
I'm not sorry they have disappeared. They were not something we saw down south; they were more of a northern style, and frankly I found them bizarre.
Under 'house coats' on Amazon were plenty of toweling after bath/shower coats (I even have one myself for post-swimming) but now't else.
Traditions come and go. Where would you go these days to see a housewife scrubbing her front doorstep wearing a house coat?
You mention the "uniform" aspect of the house coat and I realised that is exactly what I do. When working at various jobs through out my life they all had a uniform, suitable riding gear as in the equine sector, smart formal suits in accountancy, smart casual in lecturing , all of which were changed as soon as I got home into appropiate farm clothes! Now though no longer working off farm, I still have a day clothes uniform that eliminates decisions at 5am Su
ReplyDeleteWhen I was on the London Stock Exchange I wore a pin-striped suit, striped shirt with white stiff collar, navy tie with white spots. and a bowler hat. A classic uniform if ever there was one. It's probably why I quit!
DeleteI remember my grandma always wore a long, wraparound, floral pinafore every day. I suppose that was her housewife uniform.
ReplyDeleteI think that was the same sort of thing.
Delete" that 'house coats' must be a thing of the past."
ReplyDeleteNot at our local market on the last Thursday of the month... a stall turns up with zillions of them and a few aprons. We are central France, you are south.... we were "ooop't'North" in the UK where house coat stalls were still on the Leeds and Wakefield markets when we left... my Mum came from Harrow and wore one "mornings only" until they moved to West Norfolk...
But back to here, there's always a gathering of !women-of-a-certain-age! at the stall at the end of the month... whether they buy I know not, but they are all wearing what the lady who runs our stall is selling.
Funnily enough I've seen them at our local markets too, but I don't see people wearing them any more. Aprons, as above, but not the full house coats.
DeleteThis post made me think about the things that gradually disappear from our lives, without us noticing, until one day we ask ourselves where it went.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what I was thinking. Suddenly things disappear!
DeleteQ. Where would you go these days to see a housewife scrubbing her front doorstep wearing a house coat? A. Barnsley.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds about right.
DeleteIt's still 1961 in Barnsley - beloved home town of both the legendary cricket umpire - Dickie Bird and The Barnsley Chop which is not a karate move.
DeleteThere were two Barnsley lads at college with me back in the late 60's; I could never understand what they were saying.
DeleteDid they perchance use the term "wazzock" when sniggering and pointing at you?
DeleteNo, they just called me 'Sir'.
DeleteThere's a lovely scene in Shirley Valentine where she is ready for her holiday and dressed in her suit. The doorbell rings unexpectedly and she rushes to throw on and button up her house coat x
ReplyDeleteI've not seen it. But I can imagine.
DeleteMy English Grandma wore a "pinny" as she called it - and scrubbed her step using a bristle brush and tin bucket - She was a tiny nippy little lady - Constantly busy and walking Lassie on the park - flis x
ReplyDeleteThose days have now gone; other than being constantly busy.
DeleteIt used to be a tradition here as well. The younger generation of course wouldn't be seen dead in them. The older women may wear an apron instead.
ReplyDeleteThey were usually black or dark blue with a pattern of small black flowers. Buttons down the front.
My Greek MA in law hardly wore anything else.
Black or blue with small white flowers
DeleteThe French aprons were the same, and widows always wore similar dresses.
DeleteHaha, where would you even see a housewife scrubbing her doorstep these days, it always seemed pretty pointless to me! As for housecoats, yes, I do remember them, they were like dressing gowns. Usually worn with rollers in the hair as well....yuk! It was a complete culture shock to me, visiting Manchester for the first time with my then intended that people would go out to the pub looking like this...and leave their kids outside on a bench with a packet of crisps. We're no longer together....
ReplyDeleteDifferent times; yet they were seen as normal!
DeleteI think the term, house coat, has gone out of fashion and the item will now be found in the bath robe section of stores. My grandmother wore an apron around the house but my mother worked outside the home and rarely wore an apron. The house coat was sort of an interim clothing item, put on before she was ready to put on her outside clothes and leave for work. I mostly treat her last 2 house coats as summer bathrobes.
ReplyDeleteI think here the were just to keep their outdoor clothes clean. In the days before ripped jeans, etc.
DeleteSlimsdottir's "Duster" rang a bell. That's what I inherited... But I know my mother would have found it at a local department store, not from that online company.
DeleteMy mother's older sister had house coats. She was very serious about her household duties. Each day she had an appointed job. Laundry, ironing, vacuuming, floor washing.... She dressed for the job and changed clothing when done.
ReplyDeleteMy mother avoided household jobs and had help.
I'm a member of your mother's club. Why do all this stuff when you can pay someone else to do it for you!
DeleteA few years back, i found the sleeveless, zip up the front version in seersucker in a Walmart (of all places). It reminded me of the German hausfrau, so I bought it. The boys know there's some serious cooking or cleaning going to happen if it appears.
ReplyDeleteI shall try to picture you wearing it, and baking cakes of course!
DeleteI was intrigued, all my aunts wore house coats. I found the thing they wore from a company called Resident Essentials, labeled women's snap front dusters. I'm in the US.
ReplyDeleteIt's a better name than 'house coats', but no doubt does the same job.
DeleteI drive my son to Morrisons for his early Sunday shift. A lady washes and brushes her front step every Sunday morning. Not sure that she still has a house coat.
ReplyDelete