Planning a trip to India?
We'd love to hear about it when you get back. But for those of you who are despairing of finding space for that bottle of Scotch for the rellies back in India, spare a thought for the poor women who had to pack for a trip to India in 1882!
Bare essentials 1882 style:
-
One dozen cotton chemises, thin ; one dozen cotton chemises, thicker.
- One dozen cotton nightdresses, thin; one dozen cotton night-dresses, usual thickness.
- One dozen pairs of cotton drawers, thin ; one dozan pairs of cotton drawers, thicker.
- Six vests of flannel, or of silk if preferred ; the kind known as Indian ganze.
- Six white petticoats, long, for evening wear, flounced, with bodices ; six shorter, and tucked, with bodices also.
- Four muslin petticoats, with trains to. fasten on ; these may have lace edgings for beat evening wear, and laced trimmed bodices.
- Six white flannel petticoats ; two red flannel petticoats ; two crochet, either red or red and white.
- One flannel wrapper (coloured). Two short dressing jackets of some white washing material, cambrie or longcloth, frilled.
- Two pairs of corsets, with extra cases to wash ; one pair of evening corsets, with case.
- Twelve pairs of fine white thread stockings, not open work, but either embroidered in colour or plain white silk ; twelve pairs of stockings (coloured), to match the dresses you are taking out ; six pairs spun silk, black ; six pairs warm (coloured), for cold weather use.
- Three dozen handkerchiefs, plain, hemstitched, initialled ; one dozen trimmed with Lace (you can buy these and trim them yourself) ; six best, either worked or lace, for evening use.
- Four pairs of long black mittens; four pairs of long white mittens.
- One dozen pairs of kid gloves ; six pairs of dogskin for riding.
- One dozen pairs of thread or silk gloves for matching dresses.
- Of collars, cuffs, frills, and the like, you must take a good stock.
Then there were shoes, hats & household items to consider, including furniture!
