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Original poster

Dot Cotton's housecoat

184 replies

Teael · 04/04/2022 23:06

The sad news today and the pictures of June Brown (rest in peace) reminded me of a question I've had for a while:

What happened to those polyester housecoats middle aged women wore when I was a child? When I google housecoats, I just get dressing gowns, which isn't what I'm meaning. They had enough static to power the national grid (with the hair spray used, I'm amazed there weren't more hair spray/house coat induced self-immolations), but were worn for housework, and were quick to wash.

Not dressing gowns, nor aprons. They were literally coats you wore in the house.

Where does one buy such an item these days?! I'm quite pleased to see the photos of June Brown wearing one, as I'd started to think I'd made them up!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
LaLaLouella · 05/04/2022 00:16

Get yourself down to Barnsley Market duck, the last time I went there was a whole stall of them....

LizzieSiddal · 05/04/2022 00:25

I remember Hilda Ogden wore one in Corrie.

PollyPutTheKettleOnKettleOn · 05/04/2022 00:27

But what were they for?

And what's a Ewbank??

PollyPutTheKettleOnKettleOn · 05/04/2022 00:30

(Having visions of small Chris Ewbanks running around people's living rooms)

ErrolTheDragon · 05/04/2022 00:31

@emsyj37

My nan always wore a housecoat. Always gingham check, she had a pink, a blue and a minty green one. Every now and then I feel like buying a Ewbank for nostalgia reasons. My nan used to run round with the Ewbank about 15 times a day.
DHs favourite aunt had a quilted housecoat, navy with pink trim iirc, one with sleeves. She also had a carpet sweeper. DH got us a Ewbank (from Argos iirc) ... it's been languishing in the cupboard under the stairs for years, but recently I realised its excellent for cleaning bits off the big Turtle mat we have in the hallway, better than the vacuum cleaner because it doesn't try to suck it up.Grin
LizzieSiddal · 05/04/2022 00:34

But what were they for?

And what's a Ewbank??

Grin Women wore them to protect their clothes, so when they were doing their housework/cooking or at work, their clothes didn’t get dirty. Remember there many any automatic washing machines in the 70s.

A Ewbank is a thing for hoovering the carpet- they weren’t electric, so you could quickly whip round the messy bits of the carpet.

ErrolTheDragon · 05/04/2022 00:35

@PollyPutTheKettleOnKettleOn

But what were they for?

And what's a Ewbank??

www.ewbank.co.uk/shop/sweepers/speedsweep-manual-carpet-sweeper/
WillSmithsRightHook · 05/04/2022 00:39

My nana used to wear them, she had a pink and a blue gingham one, she bought them from petticoat lane market in the 50’s and wore them up until 90’s. She used to repair them on her singer peddle sewing machine.
RIP June Flowers

Blossomtoes · 05/04/2022 00:47

My mum had two. My son associated them with his childhood so much he had one of them framed and it’s on his wall now.

PollyPutTheKettleOnKettleOn · 05/04/2022 00:52

@LizzieSiddal

But what were they for?

And what's a Ewbank??

Grin Women wore them to protect their clothes, so when they were doing their housework/cooking or at work, their clothes didn’t get dirty. Remember there many any automatic washing machines in the 70s.

A Ewbank is a thing for hoovering the carpet- they weren’t electric, so you could quickly whip round the messy bits of the carpet.

Era of the housewife hey?!

Ohhh carpet sweepers, I think my grandma had several 😆 Must be due a revival in these times of sky-high energy bills? Eco friendly too!

PollyPutTheKettleOnKettleOn · 05/04/2022 00:54

@Blossomtoes that's amazing Grin

Blossomtoes · 05/04/2022 01:10

[quote PollyPutTheKettleOnKettleOn]@Blossomtoes that's amazing Grin[/quote]
It’s kind of nice, isn’t it? He’s a professional artist so it’s very fitting that it’s become a piece of art.

Notarealmum · 05/04/2022 01:14

I think there’s confusion between the overall and housecoat that OPs talking about (though both are quite nostalgic!). Housecoats were made of usually quilted nylon fabric and were worn by women instead of a dressing gown. So likely over your nightie when you got up or before you went to bed. So not really something to wear during the day to do the housework in.

mizzo · 05/04/2022 04:41

@Notarealmum

I think there’s confusion between the overall and housecoat that OPs talking about (though both are quite nostalgic!). Housecoats were made of usually quilted nylon fabric and were worn by women instead of a dressing gown. So likely over your nightie when you got up or before you went to bed. So not really something to wear during the day to do the housework in.
My Great Gran's housecoat was definitely more like the Dot Cotton/Nora Batty type. Quite thin with pockets and short sleeves or no sleeves. She called dungaree's overalls and she has a more padded thing for wearing over her nighty which was a bed jacket, she gave me a bed jacket when I had DC1 for night feeding.
RedWingBoots · 05/04/2022 05:30

"Ohhh carpet sweepers, I think my grandma had several 😆 Must be due a revival in these times of sky-high energy bills? Eco friendly too!*

Indoor coats are making a come back but not like house coats.

ApolloandDaphne · 05/04/2022 05:36

My gran wore a tabard apron to do the cooking and housework. It was such a sensible garment. A house coat was a long, button through quilted dressing gown made of nylon. I had one in pink and loved it.

MinnieMountain · 05/04/2022 06:00

I’ve been thinking about the bed jackets my granny used to wear. Since I’ve taken to having my coffee in bed at 5am they seem like a good idea.

IroningBoardz · 05/04/2022 06:13

Housecoats are completely different to tabards. They aren’t the same thing.

Rifling · 05/04/2022 06:34

I'm in Italy and there's a shop near me that sells tabards, pinnies and housecoats. My grandmother had a carpet sweeper too and I woukd quite like one myself.

Rifling · 05/04/2022 06:37

I think the bedjackets were partly for the cold and partly because it was presumed that at various times in your like you would be confined to bed for days if not weeks. I had a brilliant book (orange cover?) that had lots of games for children who were convalescing in bed.

CoverYourselfInChocolateGlory · 05/04/2022 06:38

I have a duster coat from One Hundred Stars although not quite what you're looking for, I imagine, OP. Too stylish!

Toddlerteaplease · 05/04/2022 06:44

You've just reminded me of my grandma in her house coat. Smile

GeneLovesJezebel · 05/04/2022 06:45

I think that the original hose coats were quite flammable, so perhaps that’s why you don’t see them now.
I’d head to a market for that sort of thing.

User748956 · 05/04/2022 06:47

DM had one, they were like cheap dressing gowns, she wore it like you would a dressing gown. During the day she wore a pinny all day to keep her clothes clean, I wonder if they will make a comeback...