Boiled shirts were popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries, being boiled in starch to create a stiff shirt that resisted wrinkles. They were difficult to wash and not commonly worn today, but some period dress enthusiasts still seek them out. Other boiled fabrics, such as wool and pre-shrunk cotton, are softer and more pliable.
A boiled shirt typically refers to men’s dress shirts worn in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Boiled shirt can also be called a boiled front shirt. These shirts were very stiff, keeping wrinkles at bay and almost helping to maintain an upright posture.
The reasons for creating boiled shirts were twofold. As men’s dress clothes, boiled shirts needed to be very white and clean, and without washing machines, the best way to make a shirt as white as possible was to boil it. Second, the boiled shirt was boiled in starch to create an extremely stiff shirt that would resist wrinkles and remain flawless in appearance. As people who wear period costumes will tell you, the boiled shirt can be a fit to wear since it doesn’t fold well and feels much stiffer than most men’s dress shirts today.
People who enjoy period dress for the re-enactment of famous events, such as Civil War enthusiasts, often struggle to find a boiled shirt if they are playing superiors or generals. One main complaint is finding the proper wash for such shirts. They won’t stay stiff after washing, so find a cleaner who is adept at re-starching them so they stay stiff.
Although you can still find some styles of shirts boiled down today, especially those worn under tuxedos, they’re not especially common now. By the mid-1920s, men had stopped wearing boiled shirts in favor of softer, slightly starched shirts. However, the rigid look of formal attire could be maintained by wearing a smart tie and the right waistcoat. When you think of some of the dapper male actors of the past, like Fred Astaire, it’s easy to see the need to wear something less rigid. It would have been more difficult for Astaire to dance gracefully in a shirt that didn’t move with him.
There are a number of other types of boiled clothes on the market. You will sometimes see the term boiled wool. This process of boiling wool helps shrink the wool fibers to create a softer, more felted wool, which has some protection against stains and moisture. It is also more elastic and more breathable.
Some fabrics are pre-shrunk by boiling. You can see boiled T-shirts or boiled jeans. Since these fabrics tend not to be boiled in starch, they are actually softer and more pliable than boiled shirts of the past. They also tend to be easier to wash, as they may not shrink further if placed in the washing machine.
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