Something Vintage

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Although we’ve had a merciful respite from the heat, the sweltering summer will soon be upon us. That got our resident vintage fashion expert thinking about how we used to keep our cool before the miracle of air conditioning. By Claudine Villardito

Watching as event coordinators converted a quarter-mile section of downtown Phoenix into a 1000-foot Slip ‘n’ Slide, I couldn’t help but recall my own attempts to stay cool during the hot and humid summers of my Chicago childhood.  Most afternoons were spent under a homemade water feature consisting of a kiddie pool and oscillating sprinkler while my sister jammed to the band Foghat and soaked her feet in ice water.  But when the temperature and humidity crept toward 90, we knew we could always retreat indoors where the air conditioning and lemonade were cold enough to turn our lips blue.

So how did folks endure the summer prior to the advent of air conditioning, which didn’t appear in residential construction until after World War II?  Although the wealthy could afford to travel to cooler climes (more on that in my last article), before the middle of last century most people’s comfort depended on the clever use of water, physics and fabric.

Though frozen water is an obvious antidote to heat, until the invention of electric refrigeration at the turn of the 20th century, ice required harvesting, carving and long-distance transport, all of which were costly to the average consumer.

Instead, liquid water was used in ingenious ways to cool homes, bedding and perishable food.  As those in hot, dry climes and Tucsonans with evaporative coolers know, a breeze blown through a wet medium delivers moist, cool air to the receiving side. Hanging wet sheets in doorways and draping moistened cloths over partially submerged bowls of food were two reliable ways to keep perishables – and the people who ate them – moderately cool.

Basic knowledge of the laws of physics helped too.  Turns out, the turrets of medieval castles and gables of southern plantations did more than just look impressive: they were exhaust mechanisms that trapped heat as it rose and then vented it from their rooflines. Conversely, subterranean outposts like basements and cellars kept contents cool and made such excellent repositories for fuel, food and wine that they are returning to favor among urban and rural farmers eager to escape the industrial food cycle.

Although it seems counter-intuitive, covering up with clothing has been one of humankind’s greatest defenses against sweltering heat.  As any Arizona rancher will tell you, the higher the sun, the longer the sleeve.

While it follows that covering the skin protects it from damage, covering it with certain fabrics also cools it.  Cotton, which breathes, allows perspiration to evaporate and has been used in warm-weather clothing for centuries (think togas and traditional kaftans). But another – wool – is less obvious and was used extensively during the Victorian era for “gauze weave” underwear, as it reportedly absorbed and then repelled perspiration. (Eww.)

The wide brimmed hat and parasol were ubiquitous Victorian accessories that also provided relief in the form of shade, but when combined with long gloves, a tight-laced corset and a minimum of six petticoats, they were likely of little help and explain why the “weaker sex” made frequent use of the fainting couch.

Interestingly, it wasn’t until home air conditioners became more ubiquitous in the 1950s that baring the skin by wearing 2-piece bathing suits and midriff-exposing tops during the heat of the summer became fashionable.

So as we celebrate (or bemoan) the unofficial start of summer, let us be thankful for automatic ice-makers, air conditioning and window tinting.  And may we know that if our compressors fail in mid-July, we will always have Foghat, the kiddie pool and cotton underwear.

* Just in case you thought the slipping and sliding were only happening in downtown Phoenix,  Slide the City is coming to Tucson in September.

* Claudine Villardito’s boutique Black Cat Vintage is online at blackcatvintage.com

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