The Imperial Hygiene of the Romanovs

[Alice_Karadjordjavic]

I live in 110 degree weather, it's not that bad to take a cold shower, so the common cold couldn't be a possibility.

[Kalafrana]

'Cold' water in hot climates tends to be lukewarm, so quite manageable.

However, I have just returned from Lesotho, where the daytime temperatures at this time of year (their winter) were a very pleasant 70-ish during the day, but it rapidly dropped to about freezing after sunset. Washing one's hair in a bucket of (very) cold water was no fun!

Ann

[Constantinople]

Prince Charles was sent to Gourdonstoun which prided itself on having cold showers.  It was his father's idea, who had also attended the ascetic institution.

[Alice_Karadjordjavic]

'Cold' water in hot climates tends to be lukewarm, so quite manageable.

However, I have just returned from Lesotho, where the daytime temperatures at this time of year (their winter) were a very pleasant 70-ish during the day, but it rapidly dropped to about freezing after sunset. Washing one's hair in a bucket of (very) cold water was no fun!

Ann

Wow, Did you wash it at night, Ann?

Prince Charles was sent to Gourdonstoun which prided itself on having cold showers.  It was his father's idea, who had also attended the ascetic institution.

Thanks for the intriguing fact, Constantinople!

[Olga Maria]

^{Quote from Sarah (Sarushka): The girls' weight on 23rd of Aug 1917:
Olga 58,7 kg
Tatiana 63,5 kg
Maria 68,8 kg
Anastasia 59,4 kg}       

Deary Sarah, thank you soo much for his info! So new for me! : ))

According to Lili Dehn’s book;
….and she [Alexandra] never had her nails polished, as the Emperor detested highly polished and super-manicured nails.

I think OTMA didn’t have their nails polished, too.

and another from the same book…
She [Alexandra] generally used Atkinson’s White Rose; it was, she said, “clean” as a perfume, and “infinitely sweet” —as an eau-de-toilette, she favoured Verveine.

^{Quote from Alice Karadjorjavic: And did they dress themselves? Usually royals are portrayed having help with their wardrobe in movies.}
I also wonder about this, too for already a long time (I think their clothes are as easy to wear as how we wear ours nowadays)… Hmm, I think they just got help from their nannies/dressers whenever they lace up their corsets? Or do their dressers do something else more such as helping to wear/take off the stockings, etc?
However, I need more answers, too…

[Kalafrana]

In Lesotho I initially washed my hair at night, but it was such an unpleasant experience (as if my entire head was contracting!), I started doing it around sunset instead. Still unpleasant, but nothing like as bad.

But thank heavens for short hair!

Ann

[Alice_Karadjordjavic]

Thank you all so much!
(Kalafrana, I have long hair so I don't I could survive that!:D Kudos to you, you trooper!)

[Kalafrana]

My time in Lesotho certainly makes me appreciate modern plumbing!

Ann

[Alice_Karadjordjavic]

Day four of my bathing experiment and I love cold showers now, I don't think I can go back!

[Naslednik Norvezhskiy]

I live in 110 degree weather, it's not that bad to take a cold shower

Oh, I can understand you've gotten addicted, if that's the temperature you're living in!

Does one get clean enough with only cold showers? I can imagine that the soap or shower gel or whatever one uses lathers less well in cold water, plus cold water is in itself less effective than warm water in dissolving dirt.

[Alexander1917]

^{Quote from Sarah (Sarushka): The girls' weight on 23rd of Aug 1917:
Olga 58,7 kg
Tatiana 63,5 kg
Maria 68,8 kg
Anastasia 59,4 kg}       

Deary Sarah, thank you soo much for his info! So new for me! : ))

According to Lili Dehn’s book;
….and she [Alexandra] never had her nails polished, as the Emperor detested highly polished and super-manicured nails.

I think OTMA didn’t have their nails polished, too.

and another from the same book…
She [Alexandra] generally used Atkinson’s White Rose; it was, she said, “clean” as a perfume, and “infinitely sweet” —as an eau-de-toilette, she favoured Verveine.

^{Quote from Alice Karadjorjavic: And did they dress themselves? Usually royals are portrayed having help with their wardrobe in movies.}
I also wonder about this, too for already a long time (I think their clothes are as easy to wear as how we wear ours nowadays)… Hmm, I think they just got help from their nannies/dressers whenever they lace up their corsets? Or do their dressers do something else more such as helping to wear/take off the stockings, etc?
However, I need more answers, too…

when I emeber right in Dehn's book was said that Alexandra went into her underwear herself - after bathing. she didn't want to be sen naked by her maid.
and in thos times you need a second person to close a corset. (remember Mummy and Scarlet O'Hara)

[Alice_Karadjordjavic]

Really? In her Undies? Well, I guess I'd be like that too.... O////O

[rosieposie]

Alix could have been wearing her drawers, chemise and then let the servant lace up her corset.     However it is possible for Alix and OTMA to lace their own corsets themselves.

As demostrated in this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpX0-uavI74

[rosieposie]

Just thought someone might have commented on the idea that Alix and OTMA would have laced their own corset themselves with no help from maids/servants or each other.

Another idea came to mind,  I read somewhere that Maria washed Alix's hair in the Impatiev house,  I wondered how Alix must have felt having her own daughter wash her hair?

[Kalafrana]

Not being a corset wearer, I don't know whether they lace up the front or the back. If the back, I think it would be quite difficult to lace up your own corset.

Ann