How the ladies of the 19th century went to the toilet in their crinolines — the historian tells and shows

The first crinolines appeared in England in the 1820s and reigned in women's fashion until the end of the 1850s. Although the word "crinoline" originally referred to a very dense horsehair fabric, in the Victorian era it was called voluminous dresses with a skirt on a rigid frame. To move, and even more so to dance in such an outfit, special skills were needed. Have you ever wondered how the ladies of that time went to the toilet? This secret was revealed by fashion historian and blogger Izabella Pitcher.

It should be taken into account that the plumbing of the 19th century was not too different in design from the modern one. Therefore, it seems that for the successful discharge of natural needs, it would be logical to get rid of at least a domed skirt. But, in order to dress the lady, the maids had to put a lot of work and effort. There was no question of taking off part of the dress and then putting it on again.

But it turned out that nothing needed to be removed. Isabella Pitcher, a recognized expert on figmas, crinolines and corsets, told and showed in a video on her YouTube channel Priorattire how everything happened.

It turns out that the crinoline is not such a rigid construction. The skirt with the frame was quite mobile and could bend in any direction and even fold like an accordion. A woman at that time could easily lift her skirts as high as she wanted. Despite this, going to the toilet still required some skill.

The main secret of the ladies of the Victorian era was in the so-called frontal landing. That is, women sat on the toilet facing the drain, or, in modern terms, to the cistern. In this case, everything happens even easier. Isabella Pitcher argues that this technique should not be copied into the archive. It is perfect for modern brides with magnificent wedding dresses.

The historian also clarified that earlier women did not need to pull off underwear. Their pantaloons were cut between the legs, which greatly facilitated the visit to the "ladies' room". What seems complicated and mysterious to us today was worked out to automatism two centuries ago. By the way, the ladies of that era had many other secrets, not always pleasant.