From Homespun to Ready-Made

In America,  the Clothing Revolution came in the late 19th century.  Prior to that clothing was made in the home or by a tailor if you were wealthy.  When "ready-made" clothing appeared in stores, the cheapest grade was all that was available.  The first customers were the sailors in New England because they needed a quick change of clothes while in port.  These clothes were stored in "slop chests" aboard ship (Norse for loose or baggy breeches).  The stores that sold these ready-made clothing became known as "slop shops".  Ready-made clothing therefore, became "slops."

The Southern slaves and the Western miners also wore the ready-made clothing.  It was the only clothing made in quantity.  Clothing denoted class, the higher the class, the better the clothing.  Second-hand clothing was the only clothing available prior to slops, and was handed-down from the wealthy to the servants, slaves and poor.  Ads were run in newspapers to sell second-hand clothing.
Cast-offs were a big business in the South and West as well.

The coming of the sewing machine in the mid-1800s changed the garment industry.  Buttonholes made by machine, lock stitch that was stronger than hand stitch, and cutting machines that could cut out 18 garments at a time, all helped boost ready-made clothing from the undesirable to the desirable.  The Civil War also changed the garment industry into something attractive and profitable when it made thousands of uniforms by machine. 

Shirt factories were the first factories to make ready-made clothing (with detachable collars).  By the turn of the century even the wealthy were turning to ready-made clothing purchased at better shops.  The clothing industry was making a profit of $1.5 billion a year!

Next time...Part 2 Revolution of Clothing
_________________________________
Today in Pioneer History:  "On June 27,1880,  Helen Keller was born.  Helen was deaf, mute and blind but went on to learn sign language from her teacher Annie Sullivan.  She was the first deaf and mute person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree at Radcliffe.  Helen was an American author, political activist, and lecturer.  (I have always been proud to share her birthday!)