Few images are as iconic as that of a maid in a black dress and white apron and cap, and yet it is often only understood as a stereotype. Shows like “Downton Abbey '' and “Upstairs,Downstairs” have helped tell the forgotten stories of those who were in service during the Edwardian era. Women in service faced long hours of physically demanding work in an unregulated field where they were subject to the whims of their employers, with little personal time or freedom.

The black dress and white apron and cap we so strongly associate with maids only became standardized in the late 19th century. For centuries, male servants in elite households such as footmen were often dressed in uniform livery, but there was no such female equivalent until the convention of the black dress and white accessories became fashionable. This ensemble, however, was not worn the entire day, but instead reserved for the latter part of the day and more formal occasions.

Surprisingly, I have been unable to find any surviving examples of the formal afternoon livery, but by using written documentation and looking at typical construction for the period, I’ve put together what I believe is a reasonable interpretation of this iconic ensemble.

Corset made by The Boudoir Key: https://www.etsy.com/shop/theboudoirkey

Corset pattern from Atelier Sylphe: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AtelierSylp...

Lauren's video about undergarments:    • What Underwear Did They Wear in the 1...  

Abby Cox's video about skirt construction:    • *weird victorian dog mom intensifies*...  

References:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pa...
https://play.google.com/books/reader?...
https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/...
http://whatifound.blogspot.com/2012...
https://www.corsettraining.net/vintag...
https://archive.org/details/domestics...

https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1...
https://archive.org/details/domestics...
https://www.jstor.org/stable/1817742

https://manchesterartgallery.org/coll...
https://manchesterartgallery.org/coll...
https://manchesterartgallery.org/coll...


Music from Free Music Archive
https://freemusicarchive.org/music/An...