Looking for info on passengersb clothing

[Isabella Rosner]

I'm doing a project about the Titanic for school, and something I am doing for the project is drawing what passengers on each class would wear while boarding the ship. I could only find pictures and fashion trends regarding wealthy passengers. Can anyone please tell me: did second and third class women wear dresses similar to first class women? I have a feeling that the poorer women did not wear long, form fitting dresses that ended at the elbows and outrageously large hats, but I'm just not quite sure. Can anyone please answer my question? Thank you!

 

[George L. Lorton]

Hello Isabella,

I think Women and Men in the poorer classes tended to wear hand-me-downs and second hand clothes. Perhaps a lot of homemade items. Keep in mind that a lot of Second Class Passengers would of taken First Class in other ships. A lot of steerage passengers were also lower middle class and took Steerage (Third Class) as an economy measure so they would have more money upon arriving in America. Actually Steerage or Third Class on Titanic was pretty nice considering what they might of gotten in accommodation in other ships. I think it would be a safe bet to picture your Second and Third Class Passengers in hand-me-down suits for the men or for the women in dresses a little behind the fashion in 1912. Look though the passengers bios for pictures of what the second and third Classes are wearing and go from there. Hope this helps

Cordially,
Geo. Lorton

 

[Russell Smith]

The passengers' bios are available here. https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-biographies/

Click the person's name to get a bio and possibly pictures of them. There is also a drop down box "Select Other Listings" where you can sort them by class.

 

[Dave Gittins]

Titanic Voices has many photos of ordinary people of the the time, including the crew, their relations and passengers. Though they were quite poor, many of them are formally attired, such as as H Maynard on page 223. He was only a cook, but he wears a three piece suit, complete with watch chain.

There are some photos of third class survivors on Carpathia if you hunt around. Third class women often wore traditional working class clothes, sometimes with the addition of a shawl. Remember it was cold in the open air. Even the first class wore rugged and serviceable clothes when on deck, as can be seen in Father Browne's Titanic Album.

 

[Isabella Rosner]

Thank you all so much for your help!

 

[George L. Lorton]

Hope you can find something that helps your report.