Do you think they dressed better 200 years ago than we do now?
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
United States
March 15, 2009 9:04pm CST
This may be a strange question, but I love to read historical books and we are currently flipping through the stations and we happend to stop on Pirates of the caribbean and it made me think of the clothing that they wore hundreds of years ago vs. the jeans and tshirts we wear today....
women wore dresses every day... corsets, girdles, full gown dresses, etc...
men wore suits.... and hats.... LOL
can you imagine if we still dressed like that? 
..it would be a sight for sure...
..it would be a sight for sure...2 people like this
9 responses
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
16 Mar 09
The dresses might have been ok but it was all the stuff the wore UNDER them that was just too much! Think of the tie it took to get all those garments on and then off again and they weren't very pratical either. I hate to think how long it took just to go and relieve themselves in the bathroom (ok wherever they went to do it!)
Sometimes even zips are fiddly but they had somany things to untie and unbutton!
1 person likes this
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
16 Mar 09
oh yeah, the shifts, the knickers, the girdles...LOL, but the dresses were so pretty!! LOL I think it would be fun to wear them for a little while and feel girly in them....LOL --but then give me back my jeans and tshirts...LOL
thanks for responding!
1 person likes this
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
16 Mar 09
Oh yes! I live in jeans, trousers and track suits ALL the time!
The dresses and skirts hang there but I never ever wear them now.
1 person likes this
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
16 Mar 09
I do too...I have 4 pair of jeans that I wear and 3 pair of sweats that is my weekly dressing....LOL but I have like 3 or 4 summer dresses...and when I worked in the office I always wore skirts...except casual fridays... I loved my long skirts... now they are in the attic
but I think I will make a goal to wear one summer dress a week during the summer... just because of how long our winter was this year and I am tired of the old and frumpy clothes I have been in!!! LOL
but I think I will make a goal to wear one summer dress a week during the summer... just because of how long our winter was this year and I am tired of the old and frumpy clothes I have been in!!! LOL 1 person likes this
@deejean06 (1952)
• United States
16 Mar 09
I just happen to LOVE the Pirates movies. However I don't think I would like the corsets, girdles and full gown dresses that they wore. On the other hand there is something to be said for modesty which is something we could be missing in this day and age...
@busyB4 (874)
• United States
16 Mar 09
I think the dresses were very pretty too , but give me my comfort! To me though, WE dressed better 10 years ago than now. The fabric these days being all imported is too flimsy and does not hold up near as well as the fabrics we had even then. I don't even like to go shopping as much anymore as the stuff offered now is just not well made!
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
16 Mar 09
oh my yes...I would say there isnt much modesty in todays clothing...LOL
I know they had alot of gear on everyday, but it was so pretty ... I love that!!
thanks for the response.@deejean06 (1952)
• United States
16 Mar 09
busyb4 - I completely understand about the comfort thing. I too need my comfort and hang onto clothing way too long just because it's too comfortable to let go. More and more I've had pieces of clothing unravel or buttons pop off due to the shoddy workmanship. I also think that the sizing has decreased also. I'm finding that some baby clothes are exceptionally smaller than others in the same size.
1 person likes this
@Amberluv2000 (406)
• United States
16 Mar 09
I think they dressed better back then. The suits and dresses they wore back in that period were gorgeous even though they were uncomfortable. People really took pride in their appearance now it seems like people don't care what they go outside looking like. I must admit I am guilty of this myself, especially when i was in college. I would just throw on some sweats and most of the time not even to brush my hair to make it to class on time.
1 person likes this
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
16 Mar 09
I am quite guilty at this too... as I run my son to school and do my grocery shopping in my sweats and my hair pulled back in a pony tail...LOL, quick, easy and not so pretty.....LMAO!!
thanks for responding.
thanks for responding.
@dismalgrin (2604)
• United States
16 Mar 09
I think it would be cool if we still dressed like that! A friend and I once where trying to figure out what type of person we would be from 200 years ago. She said she would be an elegant lady sipping tea. And I said, I'd love too, but I'd probably end up the bodacious barmaid! LoL! It would still be cool to see what the people of today would have fit in as then.
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
17 Mar 09
Oh I love that... I never really thought about what people today would be back then... I like that!!
thanks for the response.
@roxa19 (115)
• Romania
16 Mar 09
i think we dress better than 200 years ago. i think a good cloth is the one in which you feel very comfortable and nice. i don't think that a cloth needs to be from a special trade to be nice.me too i like the old cloths, especialy that of france, with their wigs and corsets, but i don't know if i can wear one.
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
17 Mar 09
I dont think I could do the corset.. I really dont, but I would love to just try to wear an outfit like that one day... its just all for fun anyway....LOL
thanks for the response.
@luckyattraction (268)
•
16 Mar 09
whoaa.. I can't imagine wearing corsets, girdles and full gown dresses in the kind of schedule I live every day, with long hours commuting - either on the Tube or driving. Seems totally impractical for today's working woman. Ofcourse, if I can be transported around on a horse carriage, I'd gladly opt for those lady-like clothes! :-))
1 person likes this
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
17 Mar 09
ok, I like your way of thinking... yes if we get the clothes, then I want a horse and carriage too!!! LOL
thanks for the response.
@seabeauty (1480)
• United States
16 Mar 09
They did dress much nicer then in my opinion.
I wouldn't want to dress like those ladies though. Like you said, they wore corsets and I could just imagine how uncomfortable the women were wearing them.
I like my jeans and my shorts and having my legs uncovered during the warm weather.
Would rather wear comfortable clothing than look good.
1 person likes this
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
16 Mar 09
oh yeah, the layers during the summers and no air conditioning I couldnt even imagine it!! LOL
thanks for the response.
@gamerwestside (761)
• Mexico
18 Mar 09
If dress looks good and gorgeous and i am comfortable with it,then i prefer that kind of dress.It does not matter its old passioned or new.
1 person likes this
@NuttyMomma (901)
• United States
16 Mar 09
interesting discussion! it seems a little high maintenance. they would never go out in their pajama pants! lol! yeah, maybe they did dress better because they had standards. there were things that you didn't do. uuggghhh, guess i am lazy cos i love my yoga pants and tank tops with flip flops!!
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
16 Mar 09
oh I love my flip flops too... I can not wait for summer to get here so i can bring them back out and my capris... I think I feel more girly in my summer clothes than I do in my winter jeans and sweatshirts...LOL
its fun to think about dressing like they did, but in reality it is nice to have my Gap sweats and my tank tops too....LOL
thanks for the response!!
