"
"The crossing itself could be as long as six weeks if the weather was bad; she would be expected to "dress for dinner" on board ship and not wear a day time frock in the evening. Many people had the custom of changing into white clothing as soon as they crossed into the tropics - two full sets of clothing would be needed for that one in whites and pastels, and one with darker colours. It was apparently quite amazing to see the ships officers retiring into their cabins at the same time and then coming out again, with their white uniforms on.
Consider the layers women wore then. She never wore anything like a t-shirt, skirt and sandals over a bra and underpants. There would have been stockings, because no lady every appeared in public bare legged, and since stockings were fragile, she would need many spares. There would have been a substantial underpinnings such as a corset, slips, and under vests, all before her dress went on top. If she was going to get her hair dressed during the voyage she would be bringing setting lotion and all manner of other personal toiletries.
While a good liner would have had a library, it is very likely with an expected three weeks or so on board, that she would have brought several books, perhaps a tennis racket, some hand work to keep her busy... maybe presents to give to people on the other side and additional comforts and commissions. It wasn't all clothes.
Once she arrived on the other side of the Atlantic she would be there for a period of months. This means that she probably has a wardrobe packed for at least two seasons- remember that before air conditioning, and central heating, it really mattered if you were wearing a summer weight dress or a winter weight one.
Notice the round hat boxes - each one probably held a single, highly fancy hat for formal occasions. Clothes inside those chests would be packed in tissue paper, and every effort made to avoid crushing them - this was before perma-press fabrics. Her clothing would not have been stuff tightly into the containers. Yes, that WAS a lot of trunks - but people then did not travel light, let alone a well dressed celebrity, famed for her looks."
Donna Stephens
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