Labouring women wore different attire than gentlewomen, obviously.

What their attire might consist of depended on what type of job they had, such as if they were working in a field or in a house, seen by guests, such as a parlour maid, or never seen, such as a scullery maid.

The common layering for labouring women of 1780s-1790s looked something like this:

• Shift with narrow-band sleeves

• Linen cap or straw bonnet to keep hair out of the way

• Wool stockings with woven tape garters

• Over petticoat

• Long stays of worsted wool, laced for extra support

• Pocket at waist

• Petticoat of linen

• Cotton kerchief tucked into bodice or tied

• Form-fitting jacket pinned down the front

  • Two other options, depending on tasks and visibility:

    • bedgown (best for physical labour)

    • round gown (best if visible by guests)

A fantastic video that walks through these layers can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLoqx1WF9RU