Question

PLEASE NEED HELP Read these sentences from Katherine Mansfield's The Garden Party:

Answer 1

Details about dressing suggest a historical period.

We are told that the women change into "bathing dresses." This type of garment was used in the nineteenth century for female swimming and bathing activities, which were becoming very popular on the seaside in the 1800s. A bathing gown consisted of a loose, ankle-length, long-sleeved chemise, usually made of flannel or wool. It was not meant to be form-fitting or revealing, to respect Victorian modesty principles. Besides, on pictures from the mid-19th century, a similar type of bathing cap to what is described in the text can be seen (see attachment).