Before A/C: parasols, porches and baggy bloomers needed for sultry SoFla summers

Life in South Florida in the early 1900s was simpler, undiluted by the complexities of our high-tech, multitasking modern age.

It was also more miserable, in a steamy, torpid, sweat-soaked way.

Hard for us to imagine, but folks back then actually lived an air-conditioning-free existence in subtropical humidity, ignorant of how wretched they were by current standards.

"They were resigned to it," said Susan Gillis, curator for the Boca Raton Historical Society. "In the good old summertime, they put up with the way things were."

But old-time residents grabbed for all the cool they could, gamely seeking relief from the heat through their dress, home design and recreation. Fans, parasols, loose clothing and sleeping porches staved off sweat-inducing temperatures. Air conditioning was a breeze off the coast.

A new exhibit by the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society, "Beating the Heat: Surviving Summer in South Florida," outlines how early residents adapted to the sweltering climate. It opened Friday at the New River Inn, 231 SW Second Ave., Fort Lauderdale, and runs through spring of 2015.

"People were actually able to live down here without air conditioning," said Chris Barfield, the historical society's curator. "You just suffer from it because that's what was expected."

The South Florida in the early 20th century was a tad cooler than today, Barfield said. There were more trees, and thus more shade. High-rise beach-side condos didn't block the ocean breeze and concrete and asphalt didn't pull in and radiate heat.

But folks still took steps to limit their misery.

Clothing, especially for women, was the first defense against the sultry summer. The ladies abandoned whalebone corsets in favor of lightweight skirts thin and perforated with lace. Their hems were hiked above the ankle gasp! to allow air flow upward. Gauzy underskirts and baggy bloomers provided coverage while still letting the air in.

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Before A/C: parasols, porches and baggy bloomers needed for sultry SoFla summers