SUMMERTIME - HOW DID THEY KEEP COOL?
By Kandase
@Kandae11 (54986)
July 10, 2017 11:45pm CST
When temperatures soar to unbearable heights during the summer months, I can wear whatever I want to keep cool. Even when I go out, it isn't mandatory that I wear an abundance of clothing.
How did women in the Victorian era and beyond keep cool during the hot summer months? - I mean the first modern air conditioning system was invented in 1902, so how did women living in the 18th and 19th centuries keep cool wearing the kind of garments that were fashionable then? Anyway, throughout the centuries the human race has proved to be very resourceful -so I am sure they must have found some way to beat the heat.
How would you manage if you lived in those times?
29 people like this
37 responses
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
11 Jul 17
There probably was no global warming during those times, no smoke emissions, lots of trees that served as natural aircon. I do not have to go far, our place was different 30 to 40 years ago than it is now, just my opinion
5 people like this
@vandana7 (100257)
• India
11 Jul 17
Yes...they had no cement and they had vast grounds filled with tall trees. The kitchen was kept as far as possible from the living and bedrooms...and there were large bathing rooms...filled with water ...and there were fountains...and in general beautiful shady parts of the yard ...that allowed them to enjoy the breeze.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (471356)
• Switzerland
11 Jul 17
First and important thing, they only used natural fabrics, like cotton or flax fibers, this helped the whole body to "breath". Second, there was not the humidity and excessive heat we have in our days. My great grandmother dressed more or less like this and she never complained.
3 people like this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
11 Jul 17
well, maybe they can take the climate out there even if their clothes are too thick, maybe because there was no climate change yet, and winter was so cold, and summer not so hot.
4 people like this
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
11 Jul 17
Didn't they always carry a fan?
They say that necessity is the mother of invention and so they must have had ways to keep their cool.
When we used to work in the field when I was young, we always had cool water in a canteen that kept the water cool and we also would wear a wet hanky on our heads.
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
11 Jul 17
@Kandae11 There had to be! Maybe it's a lot warmer now?
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116936)
• Anniston, Alabama
11 Jul 17
Well if everything was hot then shade and a fan would work.
3 people like this
@BettyB (4117)
• Summerville, South Carolina
11 Jul 17
The clothes had to be a form of torture. I grew up without AC. My mother would open all the windows at night to cool the house down. She would get up just before sunrise and close all of them and pull the drapes. It worked fairly well. That doesn't work here in the south. I tried it once when our AC wasn't working. I finally threatened to book a room in a hotel if the AC wasn't fixed pronto.
3 people like this
@Neiltarquin (1062)
• Rass, Saudi Arabia
11 Jul 17
What I do is I take baths everynow and then to cool me down and allow my self to air dry. And if I'm feeling hot again, I just repeat the process.
2 people like this
@shikharava (1838)
•
11 Jul 17
I don't know if I could have survived the Victorian age. The present, 'J.K Rowling age' works fine for me. :)
2 people like this
@shikharava (1838)
•
11 Jul 17
Like I said, me too. And walking around wearing those? How did they manage all this? :)
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (180503)
• United States
11 Jul 17
I don't know..it is horrible to imagine isn't it?
2 people like this
@jobelbojel (35512)
• Philippines
11 Jul 17
That is a good to know information. Summer is over here in my country. I keep cool by drinking a lot of water and swimming.
2 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
11 Jul 17
It is extraordinary how heavy the clothes were back then. Body odor must have run rampant.
2 people like this
@spaceseed (2843)
• India
11 Jul 17
when one lives in a period he learns to live.
2 people like this
@Mass_Sonu (1021)
• India
11 Jul 17
@Kandae11 it must've been pretty suffocating for them, and interesting to know how they mangaed this.
2 people like this
@Mass_Sonu (1021)
• India
11 Jul 17
@Kandae11 Indeed. Maybe this dress was the norm only in generally cold countries? But, then European nations ruled many countries which had hot weather like India. Wonder what women did then.
