Fashion At The Wheel

Think of the clothes worn for driving, and your mind will probably hark back to the glamorous 1950s when head-scarves and sunglasses were all the rage. But driving fashion began when the first motorcars started appearing in the 1880s.

At that time, cars had no roofs or windows, so drivers and passengers were exposed to the elements. Roads were just dirt tracks, which were dusty when dry and muddy after the rain. Plus, if anything went wrong with your car, drivers had to be prepared to get their hands dirty in order to fix it, as mechanics were few and far between.

Driving was such a dirty business that it became popular to wear a loose fitting outer garment called a travelling duster. These neutral-coloured ‘coats’, first designed when steam engine travel was the transport method of choice, were worn during car journeys to stop clothes from getting dusty and grimy.

What helped to further popularise the travelling duster was the changing attitude towards cleanliness. It was at the end of the 19th century that good personal hygiene became linked to moral superiority among the middle and upper classes.

As cars were open, drivers and passengers were left in clear view, and as it was vital to maintain good public appearance at that time, dusters were seen as essential for cleanliness.

Goggles

Owing to the dirty road conditions and this new attitude towards hygiene, some additional protective garments became popular at the turn of the 20th century. These included driving goggles – because cars didn’t have windscreens, goggles helped protect eyes from grit, insects and other airborne debris.

 Headgear

Hats, hoods, caps, veils and scarfs also became popular, because they helped hair stay dirt free and in place. Many women wore hats that they then secured with a scarf.• Gloves

Leather driving gloves were also first worn around the turn of the 20th century. They were considered such necessary equipment in early cars that they spawned an element of the car that is still around today – the glove compartment.Driving gloves were worn to keep hands clean, but also to protect them from the cold and to stop the driver’s hands from numbing. They had the added bonus of helping the driver to keep a good grip of the steering wheel, which was nearly always smooth wood.

Driving fashion changed after the introduction of closed-body cars. In 1910, cars began to be manufactured with roofs and windscreens, and by the 1930s most were fully enclosed with windows, too. Consequently, clothing worn to protect drivers and passengers against dirt and the elements became non-essential.In addition, as more people bought cars, road conditions were improved. In 1910, they were paved with bricks and then in the 1920s, brick streets were covered with asphalt to make car travel smoother. This made driving far less dirty, which again impacted on the popularity of protective driving clothes.

In the 1930s and 1940s, sunglasses became a popular driving accessory. The first mass-produced sunglasses appeared in the US in 1929. They were of course manufactured for summertime beach goers, but they proved handy for drivers and passengers as they protect eyes from glare.

The glamorous convertible

Driving fashion changed slightly with the introduction of the convertible. World War II temporarily halted car manufacturing, but by the 1950s everybody wanted a car – and it was the convertible they most sought.

Seen as a luxury because they were more expensive to make, convertibles typified the exciting jet-set lifestyle. But convertibles expose passengers and drivers to the elements so protective clothing enjoyed a very glam revival. Think Grace Kelly and Cary Grant driving in the South of France in To Catch A Thief.

Are you covered?

These days, there’s no need for protective clothing, so we wear whatever is right for the season. If it’s sunny, though, shades are still a must-have.

Of course, being well dressed is one thing, but you’re only fully covered if you have adequate car insurance, so make sure you’re sufficiently protected.

 

This is a guest post from Sainsburys.