Consumer Behaviour, Textiles and Dress in the Late Seventeenth and Early Eighteenth Centuries

Abstract

Consumption of textiles and apparel in late 17th- and early 18th-century England was examined. Production was better documented than consumption. However, such documents as probate inventories and households accounts can give some information. Expenditure on apparel had a high priority and was ranked second after food. Consumption of textiles, such as curtains and table linens, varied considerably depending on region, social status, and wealth. The most important consumers were in the middle class. There was no evidence that emulation of the upper classes was a major motivation for consumption. Probably, the major motivation for consumption of apparel was functional. Most apparel was worn for work or informal activities. The best apparel was worn on symbolic occasions.

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