Water Activities

Rowing and canoeing were popular water activities in the Victorian Era. Female rowers did not wear their corsets when they were rowing, they were recommended to wear stout boots, a skirt that barely touched the ground, a flannel shirt and a sailors hat. Women were also urged to wear heavy gloves to protect their hands. For men, competitive rowing was popular. But women's rowing was supposed to be for exercise and pleasure.

Also Women went to the beach, but few actually swam. Women had ready-made bathing suits that were constructed in two pieces, drawers and a tunic and were also not made of any clinging fabrics like jersey or flannel. Since women were so wieghted down with heavy fabrics even the strongest swimmers would be tired out after just a few strokes. Until the twentieth century many women did not experience real swimming.