Dot Cotton's housecoat

[Teael]

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!

@Dibdobdoo

I have a ewbank!

Me too, it's fab for a quick pick up of bits without getting the Hoover out

@Unforgettablefire

No, not that. Google Dot Cotton. No quilting in the garment I'm talking about.

@SteakExpectations

This company sell bed jackets and housecoats. I found them while Googling after having read Live Alone & Like It

Oh there’s some beauties on the bed jacket pages. Good job, there’s no gentleman callers round my house

I bought myself one of those nylon 'pinnies' as my mum called them (she wore a blue gingham one) when DD was born. She was constantly sicking up and it protected my clothes.

In my mums day clothes weren't washed every day so she had to have something to wear to protect her clothes doing the chores.

I knew she was off duty when she took it off and crossroads came on the tv. 😊

And I have a carpet sweeper, I've had two fancy expensive Grech ones that died and another expensive stick hoover thing that constantly clogged up. I dragged this thing from the loft a few weeks ago and it's still bloody brilliant.

@JanglyBeads

My mum's was called an overall, that might help?

So was my mum's

Anyone else now getting emails "Teael, are you still interested in checked cleaning overalls?"

This thread is great!

Cleaning smock or housework smock? I see some on Etsy when I google those words. A vintage Pinterest picture of a woman in a kitchen wearing something like what you describe also comes up when I search ‘cleaning overalls’:

www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/a-housewife-wearing-cleaning-overalls-stands-in-her-colourful--406027722635417137/