Dusters can refer to feather-based cleaning devices or long coats worn to minimize dust and dirt on clothing while riding horses or driving on unpaved roads. They can also refer to housecoats worn for cleaning or lounging. They are less popular now but can still be found in lingerie departments.
Duster has several definitions. People may refer to feather-based household cleaning devices as feather dusters, intended to easily remove dust from objects. The other definition of the term refers to special types of clothing that are worn to minimize the presence of dust or dirt on other clothing. These have had many uses over time.
When people rode horses for transportation, they might have worn very long coats that helped reduce the amount of dust and dirt that collected on their clothing. Horseback riding can be a nice but dirty business. You’ll see examples of this type of duster in many spaghetti-western movies. Such coats could be made of leather, fur, or cloth and, by the end of a person’s horseback journey, were somewhat cleaner clothing.
When the first automobiles were introduced, they were often open-ended, and driving on unpaved roads could soil your clothes tremendously. Men and women can use feather dusters to avoid the amount of dirt that would accumulate on the clothes. Today this form of duster is not particularly common and the long coat worn over clothing has taken a turn in its use.
You may hear a duster described by its synonym “house robe.” When women were cleaning and preparing their homes, they often wanted some type of protective clothing to layer over what they were wearing for the day. Housegowns, which were long buttoned robes of generally lightweight fabric such as cotton or cotton/polyester blends, became a popular choice as they covered more clothing than most aprons and pinafores.
A duster or housecoat was usually roomy for ease of movement, and could be buttoned or buttoned in front. Some were knee length and others longer. You can still find this type of housecoat today, which can easily double as a dressing gown if you don’t want to use it as a duster. Women can use a duster not so much over the clothes they plan to wear, but over things like underwear. They are useful to use when you are getting ready to go out and need to do your hair or make up.
You can find this type of duster at a variety of stores, usually lingerie departments. Sometimes it can be sold as leisure or lounge wear. They’re not as popular as they were in the mid-20th century, and it can take a bit of searching to find the perfect robe. Many object to bright colors and often floral patterns in a duster, but others find it cheerful and useful for times when they need to take a few minutes to get ready to go out, but don’t want to dress up in their “going out” clothes right away.
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