Getting Dressed in 1930s rural Lincolnshire, UK

Hilda Craven was born in Navanby in 1892, and after a bequest in the 1920s, she was able to purchase the cottage which had been her childhood home. It hadn't changed much since it was built 100 years earlier. The bedroom was accessed by ladder, water was drawn from nearby hand pumps, and Hilda washed in the kitchen. The only change she made to the house was to have electric lights installed, though all the light switches were downstairs. The lavatory was an outside earth closet, and a chamber pot was used at night. By the 1930s, Hilda had lived through three decades of social and fashion change. The fashionable silhouette was now a natural bustline, with smooth hips and belly. Although the bra had been introduced in the 20s, it was still not very effective, with many adopting a knitted vest instead. Elasticised girdles were washable and worn next to the skin. They fastened with hooks and eyes on the left side and were closed with a newly fashionable zip. The most fashionable lingerie colours were pink and peach, and the new man-made fibres such as rayon made silky undergarments affordable. Knickers made of flowing artificial silk helped to improve the line of the dress. Petticoats, which were fitted to the bust and flowed in an A-line over the hips, provided some bust support, and added to the smooth outline. Petticoats were fastened with poppers or pressed studs at the side. All these new lightweight undergarments were easily hand washed in warm water, and drip-dried on the washing line. The stockings were made with a and had a stretchy reinforced knitted band at the top, onto which the garter suspenders made from rubber and steel were fastened. Everyday clothes were durable and easy to wear, and were mid-calf in length. Cotton remained a favourite fabric for day dresses. Zips were still heavy in design, and were not often used in dresses, so poppers were still used to close the at the side. The first plastics were now used to make buttons and buckles. Ready-made clothes could be purchased in the shops, but many still made their clothes at home, or had them sewn by a local dressmaker. Dress patterns were generally available. The stockings had reinforced heels and toes which extended their life and could be darned. Hilda even made rag rugs from her Shoes came in many designs, and Hilda seems to have favoured this style, with its single bar fastening across the foot, and a raised heel. Regardless of footwear, it was essential to walk down the steep steps backwards. Hilda was petite, and had to stand on the fireside fender to do her hair in front of the mirror. The short hairstyles of the 20s had given way to longer hairstyles, and clips and grips could be used overnight to create something of the popular Marcel wave. In the morning, Hilda then plaited, clipped, and coiled her hair out of the way. Aprons were routinely worn to protect clothing from soiling during household tasks or gardening. Hilda always kept her door open as an invitation to anyone to call. She had an allotment for vegetables, grew flowers for her chapel, and contributed to village society. She worked as a bookkeeper, and covered all her household costs herself. Apart from a brief but happy four-year marriage in her 60s, Hilda lived alone in her cottage, which had remained virtually unchanged until the age of 102. Mrs Smith, as she was known by then, left her cottage recognisably as the one she had purchased over 70 years before. Mrs Smith's cottage is a time capsule, and a tribute to a much-loved local woman who found her perfect life.