I would think that a nurse would probably have worn something to identify her profession from a maid or servant. What about the BBC series "upstairs/downstairs" (this might be to late) or did they have the sterio type uniforms? There should be several BBC series that show maids in uniforms.
-----Original Message----- It's not quite 1840s but here's a fashion plate from 1852 showing a nurse http://www.marquise.de/en/1800/pics/1852_4.shtml (presumably a nurse would wear similar clothes to a maid) I think a dark coloured wool in a somewhat conservative cut (nobody likes their servants dressing above their station) would be the most sensible style for somebody who is doing potentially messy work (unless it was so messy you would want a cotton wash dress) a cap was a badge of servitude for many years after other women had abandoned them (even into the early 20th century you see maids and waitresses in restaurants wearing some sort of remnant of a cap on their heads). Clean, starched, white aprons were also important for female servants when they were 'on display' in a sense (e.g. when answering the door or serving visitors) as another badge of servitude it showed their status and that they hadn't been doing any messy work (or at least not recently). I know this is later than your period, but Isabella Beeton's book of household management outlines the duties of various servants and sometimes includes references to clothing http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/b/beeton/isabella/household/chapter41.h tml You may also find images of servants in the background in some royal portraits http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/eGallery/category.asp?category=AAPICTURES&; row=0 HTH Elizabeth _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
