The Packed History of Travel Clothing – Victorian Capsule Wardrobes

In the 19th century travel was becoming a faster and easier option. Moving from coaches and dirt roads to trains, automobiles, and eventually airplanes meant that arriving at your destination faster and easier than ever before. No longer did people travel just to reach a final destination, but for enjoyment. They wandered around the world to look at tourist attractions. But in an era before wheeled luggage (it seriously wasn't common until the 1980s) how did they manage to carry enough clothing with them? Did they take massive trunk after trunk and rely on the porters to figure it out? How did they fit that much in their tiny little rooms?

Hopefully their ability to manage such large wardrobes on such difficult trips can give us a few tips for modern travel! I'm headed out the door for a two week trip, keeping up with their recommendations. Travel fashion has never been easy, but maybe we can learn a few new/old ideas.

Additional Reading
Cheap Amusements by Kathy Peiss
Working at Play by Cindy S. Aron