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The crinoline had now gone and been replaced by a half crinoline, only at the back, and called a bustle. Sewing machines made it easier to stitch material together. Rich women wore corsets made of steel and bone to make very narrow waists which were popular. Richard says his grandmother had a waist of 45cms when she was young. Hats were now more popular than bonnets. Men would wear shirts with winged collars, waistcoats and trousers. They would often have a watch on a chain in their waistcoat pockets. Richard tells me that he remembers his grandfather having both a winged collar and pocket watch. Under clothes were now called combinations which, funnily enough, were combined vest and pants down to the knee. Children also started having clothes especially made for them. Sailors suits were very popular after Queen Victoria's son was seen wearing one. Victoria was always seen in black after the death of Albert and she also loved black jet jewellery. Needless to say, her people soon followed and Whitby jet in particular became very popular. Few poor children had shoes. The picture on the left shows Richard's grandfather's brother and his wife, probably in their best clothes and a family group at church on a Sunday, definitely in their best clothes. In the first photo, although the chairs and table are real, it is likely that the photographer would have unrolled a curtain backdrop as a background. Sometimes these had pretty scenes on.
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