Okay, so last post I complained about the clothing dilemma in terms of the hero. And I also wondered just what on earth a housecoat was. Thanks to Lorraine and Joanne(who has posted a lovely You Tube clip of Hilda Ogden on her blog), I now know! Yes, it is – as I feared – something my nana would have worn if she were still alive (RIP). Otherwise known as a ‘pinny’. Attractive no? Can you imagine dressing your heroine in one of these? I guess they were probably thought of as hip and up to the minute in…I was going to say the seventies here but surely by the seventies they would have had fifties housewife written all over them?
Anyway, thank God the housecoat is no longer to be seen because I’m not sure I could take a heroine who wore one entirely seriously. Which brings me to another item of clothing dearly beloved of romance heroines (the ones I’ve read anyway): the shirtwaister. Now, I have puzzled long and hard about exactly what a shirtwaister is. I have always thought it was a little bit between a housecoat and a dress, and you know what? It is! All you have to do is add a belt!
Seriously, the shirtwaister isn’t too bad all things considered. At least, it’s little sexier than what I thought. Still, I can hardly talk – my heroine is wearing leather trousers at the moment. Not sure why since she’s not really a rock chick and I’m not hugely fond of leather trousers myself. It just sort of…happened. She had all her clothes nicked and the hero’s seventeen year old sister took her shopping and…and… Look, she’s just wearing them because she likes them okay? 😉 But hey, at least she’s given up her strappy sandals, a cliche according to Jenny Hutton’s tips on the Mills and Boon boards…
So, what’s your favourite heroine outfit then? Housecoats? Shirtwaisters? Leather trousers? 🙂
Lol I love the fact that you have no idea how your heroine ended up in leather pants! If you don’t know then she’s obviously given you her own opinion lol and exactly what she should be wearing 🙂
It kind of wasn’t her fault. Like I said, the hero’s sister took her to Camden market and…Hmmm, I can see I’m going to have to work on this one. Actually, I’m pretty sure it’s the hero’s fault. He wanted to see what the leather trousers would look like on her, the naughty boy. 🙂
Jackie – oh I do like naughty boys. Would have to be a hefty cow to make leather trousers to fit my post pregnancy tummy!
I think I like my heroine in nothing at all because it is easier to describe than clothes. Only I don’t think I can get away with that writing for the romance line 🙂
Um, no, Joanne, I don’t know if they do naked heroines!
I’m with you on the naughty boys. I like ’em very much myself. 🙂
I lament the long gone days when the heroine used to ‘team’ items of clothing with each other(frequently the ensamble would include a shirtwaister and strappy sandles (or sling-backs)).
I have to say that a housecoat would cover a multitude of sins. As I sit here with middle-age fat hanging over the top of my jeans it’s an ever more appealing option.
Suzanne, I’ve read a couple of Moderns recently where the heroine ‘teamed’ various items. It was very reassuring. 🙂
I can see the appeal of a housecoat too. Though with me it had better be a muumuu. 🙂
Well in real life my heroines would probably live in jeans but I tend to put them in skirts or dresses – so much more elegant when it comes to writing the, ahem, bedroom scenes. Jeans would just involve too much wriggling and are less sexy to have removed by your alpha hero IMO…
Completely missed Jo’s Hilda Ogden post due to blogger not updating my links, sorry Jo!
Lorraine, you’re so right. Too much wriggling around is…um…undignified.
A house coat isn’t a pinny — it’s a ladies dressing gown. Something you throw on over your night clothes when you’re not quite ready to get dressed in the morning, or at night when you’re wandering around the house in search of supper. I don’t think you’d wear one over jeans!
A shirt-waister is a loose fitting long sleeved dress with a shirt opening part the way down the front–a bit like a long sleeved polo shirt except dress-length. And I think it had a belt at the waist.
Dr Scholls sandals were popular in the sixties- – very fetching!
Janet, thankyou! There has definitely been a bit of confusion about housecoats, especially as they relate to pinnys. However, I’m sure the heroines I read about actually went out in their housecoats – perhaps this was a different sort?
Actually, the shirtwaister you can see around town at the moment so it can’at be all bad. Perhaps it’s only a matter of time before we see the housecoat make its triumphant return? 🙂
Teamed with Dr Scholl sandals naturally.
Oh gawd, I think I’ve used strappy sandals a few times. My current heroine has spent two chapters in a negligee. Poor girl could do with a housecoat.
Quickly, Lucy, put a housecoat on her! It’s not too late!