Search Results for: fashion history

by Susan Jarrett

The Victorian Era began in England in 1837 when William IV died without an heir to the throne- thus leaving his 18-year-old niece, Victoria, to become Queen. However, scholars do not begin to document the marked societal and cultural changes brought about by Queen Victoria’s England until about 1850.

Queen Victoria ruled England and Ireland until her death in 1901- making the Victorian Era one of the longest in history. For the purpose of these pages, the Victorian Era will be broken into a series of periods- The Crinoline (1850-1869), First and Second Bustle (1870-1890), and Turn of the Century (1890-1900).

The Victorian Era itself was a time of great change and progress- with its efforts to reform complex social institutions and its experimentations with mechanical and scientific ingenuities. The Victorian Era was highly moral. Motherhood was cherished and virtue was idolized. There was no greater icon of these ideals than the Queen herself, or the virtuous life of her husband Prince Albert. However, while this strict code of behavior greatly increased the civility and the gentility of life, it also encouraged an austere climate of conformity.

In 1851, Victoria’s husband Prince Albert, organized the first world’s fair. The Great Exhibition as it was called was the first public exhibition to display technological advancements and manufactured goods from around the globe. The Great Exhibition opened the door for an interchange of both cultural and artistic ideas from all over the world. An example of 19th century textile advancements include English chemist William Perkin’s discovery of a way to mass produce color, revolutionizing the fabric dyeing process. In 1858, he invented a new color synthetic known as mauve (a pale purple aniline dye) which the Queen wore to both her daughter’s wedding.

Another important innovation to impact this period is that of photography. In 1836, Louis Daguerre introduced a way to capture images by exposing copper and silver to a series of chemicals and salts. The type of photography is referred to as a daguerreotype. By 1850, a variety of photographic methods were available and the average citizen could now carry a true likeness of their loved ones.

The House of Worth and the rise of Couture:

France had not led the fashion world since the Regency period, but a designer by the name Charles Worth would change that. Worth, an Englishman who did not speak a word of French, began his career working in the fabric houses of Paris. Designing couture gowns in his spare time, he soon gained recognition in the fashion industry when he displayed some of his gowns in The Great Exhibition in London in 1851 and the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1855.  In 1858, Worth opened his own house of fashion in Paris.

His gowns gained notice from the very influential fashionistas Empress Eugenie (wife of French Emperor Napoleon III) and Princess Metternich of Austria who became devoted patronesses. With their support, the success of The House of Worth was sealed.

But perhaps the most unique quality of Worth’s designs was that they were all interchangeable. Bodices, skirts, and sleeves were all drafted to fit any number of his designs and could be mixed and matched to create couture gowns custom to a client’s personal taste.

The Great Conflict:

In 1861, the worst conflict on American soil began as a civil war ripped across the nation. Just four years later, over 620,000 people would have lost their lives. With a nation at war, American industry and technology to support the effort was utmost priority. One of the technologies to revolutionize the war effort was the sewing machine.

Originally imported to America in the 1840s, American inventor Isaac Merritt Singer improved up on the efficiency of the original machine and in 1851 patented the first Singer Sewing Machine Company lock-stitch sewing machine. The Singer would revolutionize the garment making process by increasing the speed and efficiency with which garments could be made. By 1857, his sewing machine was available all over the United States. But it was the onset of the American Civil War that spurred it into regular use.

Garment making factories began popping up across the nation. The efficiently of a sewing machine reduced the amount of time it took to make a garment. Northern factories, fully equipped with sewing machines, worked day and night to keep their soldiers dressed. By the end of the war, they had made over 2 million uniforms.

In the American South, blockading and inflation abruptly halted major industrial and technological advancements. Both the shortage of goods coupled with increased pricing effected Southern fashion trends and led to the idea that Southern culture was antiquated and “old fashioned.” Unlike the mass production found in Northern factories, Southern civilians worked by candle light in their homes hand stitching uniforms for soldiers. On the home front, women were left to rely on their own ingenuity to repair, rework, or patch old and outdated garments.

Women’s Clothing:

This period derives its name from the invention of a women’s undergarment called the crinoline (later called the cage crinoline or hooped underskirt). The term crinoline refers to a stiffened skirt- typically some type of petticoat. By the 1850s, increasing skirt widths called for the reintroduction of the whalebone (or metal after 1857) hooped petticoat. (Whalebone hoops were worn during the early 18th century). By wearing the hooped petticoat, the wearer freed herself from the weightiness and cumbersome nature of multiple petticoats. 

In the mid 1850s, the cage crinoline (or a petticoat made by sewing whalebone or steel bands to a series of tapes) allowed for even an even lighter undergarment. A single petticoat was worn over the top of the cage crinoline. Wool or flannel petticoats were worn in the winter for warmth.

During the Crinoline period, the corset (formerly referred to as stays) was a measure of decency. Corsets during this period were not tightly laced and were lightly boned with whalebone reinforcements. With the introduction of the cage crinoline, corsets were shortened and allowed for freedom of movement at the hips.

Bodices of this period ended slightly above the natural waistline. In the 1850s, feminine versions of men’s shirts, vests, and waistcoats were common separates. Thanks to the introduction of the sewing machine, time involved in making clothing was now drastically reduced and elaborate self- made trim work became popular. Lavish trimmings such as embroidery, ribbon, braid work, and ruching was used. Sleeves began to widen at the wrist and forearm. Undersleeves remained popular.

Early in the period, to emphasize the voluminous nature of the skirt, multiple outer flounces and overskirts became popular. By 1860, the ever-sought-after bell shaped skirt had disappeared and a preference for an oval shaped skirt became popular. In Europe, as early as 1861, the weight of the skirt had shifted backward and the appearance of a “flat-fronted” skirt emerged. Finer gowns often had an interchangeable day bodice and evening bodice worn with the same skirt.

Queen Victoria’s love for all things Scottish led to a craze for plaids. Plaid skirts, gowns, bows, neckties, and even sashes appeared in fashion all over Europe and The United States.

Throughout the entire Victorian period, the bonnet ruled the day as head wear. In the 1860s, younger ladies and ladies of fashion included a variety of hats into their wardrobe. Other head coverings worn in this period included lace or muslin day caps, ribbons, and jeweled hair ornaments.

Children’s Clothing:

From toddler hood to the age of four, both girls and boys were dressed in gowns ending just below the knee accompanied by a set of pantalettes. After age four, little girls wore shorter versions of women’s fashions. As girls grew older, the skirt lengthened. By the age of 16, girl’s hemlines were approximately two inches above the ankle.

Hoops were worn by girls past the age four or five and pantalettes continued to be worn by all ages. Pantalette length ended anywhere from mid-calf to the ankle and it was not considered indecent for little girls and young ladies to allow the hems to peak out beneath their skirts.

Pinafores were worn over dresses during the day to keep children’s clothing clean.

Little boys past the age four wore trousers and coats similar to that of their adult counterparts. The Eton suits and tunic suits of earlier decade were still in fashion. Knickerbockers and the Knickerbockers suit became popular attire for young boys during this period.

Overalls and smocks had been in use in rural areas since the 1830s and were worn as outer clothing during heavy labor. Young boys who helped their family work in the fields quite often had a one of these two garments to wear over their trousers and shirts.

CalicoBall is a grassroots effort to document, preserve, and present rural America�s diverse historical traditions. CalicoBall is an educational extension of Maggie May Clothing. �2020 Maggie May Clothing

by Susan Jarrett

The Romantic period derives its name from Romanticism– a term used to describe a movement in art, literature, and music that valued freedom of expression. Romanticism began in England and spread throughout Europe and the United States. Romanticism was a rebellion against the current classical rules governing creative work. Followers of the Romantic ideal believed that the innermost emotions should be expressed, art should please the senses, and imagination was more important than reason. Romantics also had a deep connection with the past and often revisited historical tales in their art, writing, and music.

The Romantic ideology espoused by writers such as Lord George Gordon Byron connected with the American people and had a significant influence on popular culture. American romantics had an innate love for goodness, truth, and beauty and believed these were qualities all individuals were capable of possessing. The revolution in printing technology along with increased literacy amongst the American population gave rise to the widespread popularity of other Romantic writers such as Keats, Emerson, and Thoreau.

The Romantic heroine was innocent and virtuous. She was known to faint easily as a result of inner spiritual turmoil. In England, followers of Romanticism rejected social conventions like marriage. Prior to this period, marriages were arranged social contracts drawn to protect property and maintain social status. But thanks to the influence of Romantic ideology, love now became a mandatory requirement for marriages.

Marriages became more egalitarian. In America, Romanticism sustained the idea that a woman’s place was in the home. Prior to this period, women were treated more like subordinates than wives. Women now had the opportunity to engage in leisure activities and form friendships with other women. Child rearing became an important part of a woman’s life. Emphasis on the “child- centered family” emerged. The education of children became a priority. The ideal wife and mother was an “angel of the household.” She was virtuous, wholesome, and genteel. She loved her husband and her children and cared about everyone she came in contact with.

Women’s Fashion 1820-1825

The years 1820-1825 served as a transition period between the former Empire style and the new Romantic style. During this period, the waistline slowly descended back to it normal position as skirts gradually increased in fullness. Skirts of the 1820s were typically gored– or cut in an A-shape with the narrowest part of the skirt near the waist slowly increasing in width as the skirt progressed to the hem. Bodices were typically attached directly to the skirts via a waistband. Wide matching belts with decorative buckles were common accessories.

During this period, cotton was still the preferential dress fabric. By 1825, border printed cotton was available and advancements in textile coloration made available in the United States colors such as yellow, orange, brown, and variety of blues.

Dresses with ornamentation were a hallmark of the 1820s- especially at the hemlines and sleeves. Ornamentation consisted of embroidery, cut-work, matching ruffles and ruching, and puffs (or matching appliqu�d fabric filled with small bits of batting.) The influences of Romanticism brought forth fashion trends from the past- such as neck ruffs, slashing (the process of cutting away fabric to reveal what is beneath), and a variety of medieval sleeve styles. Sleeve style were both long and short. Romantic era dresses typically were not trained and ended just at the ankles.

By the end of the 1820s, the gored skirt was quickly being replaced by a full paneled skirt and small pleats or gathers were used to draw in the fullness at the waistband. Hems gradually began to widen but would not reach their apex for two more decades.

1830s

The 1830s saw the height of the Romantic Era. It was the period in which the silhouette reached its extreme. Like two inverted triangles, the 1830s silhouette sought to add as much width at the shoulder line as it did at the hem line.

Sleeve styles in the 1830s were diverse but typically very full. The gigot sleeve and the demi-gigot sleeve (later referred to as the leg-o-mutton sleeve in the 1890s) consisted of a large puffed sleeve at the armscye that tapered down to a narrow, close fitting cuff at the wrist. Both were quite popular.

Many bodices had wide round or V-shaped necklines and were worn with variety of chemisettes (or tuckers). Large white collars that had lapels extending down the front called pelerines became a popular 1830s accessory.

With the silhouette resembling two inverted triangles, emphasis on a narrow waistline made stays and petticoats a necessity. Romantic era stays were typically very lightly boned or corded. They laced up the back and had a solid wooden (or sometimes ivory) busk down the center front.  By the late 1830s, multiple layers of petticoats were worn to support the fullness of the skirt panels and a small bustle pad (also known as a skirt improver) was worn at the back of the waist.

When venturing out of doors, the mantle, or mantelet, was a most fashionable article of outerwear as were wide-brimmed bonnets with high crowns.

Dresses for evening wear were of the same silhouette as the day dress, but necklines were lowered and off-the-shoulder. The chemisette was abandoned and sleeves and skirts shortened (but stayed just as full!). Finer fabrics such as silk satin and gauze were used for evening gowns. More luxurious mantles or mantelets were worn as evening outer wear. Hair ornaments and ribbons adorned elaborate evening hairstyles.

By 1837, the Romantic silhouette began to deflate. The fullness of the 1830s sleeve moved further down the arm. Hemlines lengthened and sleeves became narrower. The waistline returned to it natural position as the waistband disappeared and a rounded or pointed front waistline became prominent. This silhouette is known as a transitional style because it bridges the flamboyant silhouette of the 1830s to the final and more subdued silhouette of the Romantic Era.

1840s

By 1841, the whalebone corset was a necessity-  serving as both a foundation to support the outer layers as a measure of internal female decency. Clothing of late Romantic period called for a narrower sleeve that fit low on the shoulder. These close fitting sleeves coupled with the low shoulder seam kept women from lifting their arms much above their heads. Detachable undersleeves– or rectangular pieces of cloth with a cuffed end- were sewn into the sleeve and could be removed for regular laundering. 

Gowns of the late Romantic period were often made in one piece (the bodice attached to the skirt) but jacket and skirt combinations were also popular. The Gilet corsage was a French term for a woman’s jacket made in the style of a man’s waistcoat.

By the mid 1840s, the shape of the skirt took on a bell shape and stiff crinolines along with multiple layers of petticoats became necessary to aid in lifting out the circumference of the hem. Double flounced skirts became quite popular.

Bodices of the late Romantic period typically had basque waists (or elongated waistlines which ended in a rounded point at the front) and were very tightly fitted. Necklines were round, V-shaped, or wide for both day and evening wear.  Often interchangeable chemisettes and collars were worn during the day. The pelerine remained a popular accessory.

Children’s Fashion

Thanks to continued emphasis placed on the freedoms associated with childhood, like the prior Empire/Regency Era, both young boys and girls up to the ages of four or five were dressed in loose fitting muslin gowns with pantalets. The only differentiation in gender was the lack of lace and ornamentation on boy’s gowns. After the age of five or six, young boys wore loose shirts buttoned to high-waisted, ankle length trousers- commonly referred to as the skeleton suit. After age 12, boys were dressed much the same as their fathers- in shirts, trousers, waist length jackets, and vests. This style is referred to as the Eton suit.

By 1830, girls’ dresses after the age of six were composed of full skirts and fitted bodices with large gigot sleeves. Girls’ attire mimicked that of their mothers’ with the exception of addition of pantalets. These were still visible just below the hemlines of their skirts.

Boys between the ages four and ten wore tunics– or long shirts belted at the waist. Underneath their tunics, Ankle-length trousers allowed for freedom of motion and comfort.

CalicoBall is a grassroots effort to document, preserve, and present rural America�s diverse historical traditions. CalicoBall is an educational extension of Maggie May Clothing. �2020 Maggie May Clothing

by Susan Jarrett

France

Due to civil unrest, a revolution broke out in France in 1789 leading to the end of the rule of the current French monarchy. From 1794 to 1799, a new Directoire governed- quite ineffectively- causing much civil unrest. By 1799, the opportunity was right for a young military leader by the name of Napoleon Bonaparte to stage a coup. He was successful. In 1804, Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of France and began reestablishing order. Although his reign was marked by a series of wars abroad, Napoleon was successful in bringing stability to the country as well as reestablishing a prosperous French economy- specifically the French textile industry. The reign of Napoleon Bonaparte is referred to as France’s Empire Period.

England

The earlier years of this period is also referred to as the Georgian period– named after England’s King George III. Unlike France, England enjoyed a stable political climate during this period. King George was a virtuous man who enjoyed the simple life. He published a number of articles on farming and rural living under the surname “Farmer George.” However by 1810, a genetic disorder had fully incapacitated the King- leaving his son, the Prince Regent, to step into power and rule in his father’s place. Thus, the period from 1810 to 1820 is known as England’s Regency Period.

Although war with France dominated the majority of England’s resources during this period, the export of British manufactured goods (including American cotton and other goods) continued to prosper and was substantial enough to fund a war with France. In 1815, England defeated Napoleon at Waterloo and war with France was over.

In the United States, the export of American cotton flourished. Much of this period England’s textiles were still imported from America. However, England still held the world’s market on printed cottons throughout the Regency Era. The majority of English mills were located in the British territories in India. Calcutta was a large cotton manufacturing city and is the namesake for the 19th century term ‘Calico.”

Early textile techniques consisted of over-printing woven fabrics with wooden blocks. Designs were cut into a block of wood and then colored dyes were applied to the block. The block of colorized wood was then stamped onto the woven fabric creating a design. To achieve multiple colors, the block was painted again with a second color and stamped directly over the first printing. This process was repeated until the multicolored design was complete. Floral patterns were quite popular as were small geometric repeats.

Women’s Fashion

During this period, France and England were fashion rivals. Napoleon rejected all customs, including fashion, associated with the old regimes and instead encouraged a return to simplicity and the silhouettes of the Ancient world. It was Napoleon’s ideology of Neoclassical simplicity that changed fashion. Extravagant corsets, panniers, and gowns made of silk brocade were cast aside as thin, almost transparent Grecian- like cotton gowns were adopted. Garments began to drape and flow. Corsets were discarded altogether. And for the first time since antiquity, the female body was free to remain in its natural shape. With fashion icon (and now Empress) Josephine at his side, the two single handedly controlled the sartorial future of their empire.

The Chemise a La Reine

But the origins the new style had earlier roots. In 1783, Marie Antoinette was the first to wear a new style of gown called the chemise gown or the chemise a la reine (chemise of the queen). This style of gown is exemplified in the portrait of Marie Antoinette by Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun. The chemise gown was inspired by the clothing of the European countryside and of the writings of authors like Rousseau. It was a style worn by the artist Vigee LeBrun herself and it is thought this is where Marie Antoinette first admired it. The chemise gown was typically made of bleached, ultra fine, semi sheer cotton (not silk). Although deemed radical, rejectionist, and immodest by most of the upper and royal French class, some forward thinking (and fashion conscientious) aristocrats within LeBrun’s circle began wearing this style. However it was not a garment that would be widely accepted until after the death of Marie Antoinette. But by the turn of the 19th century, thanks to Napoleon and Josephine, all of fashionable Europe were wearing what can be considered a version of the chemise a la reine- or a style we now refer to as the Empire style gown.

Empire and Regency Style

Early empire style gowns were made of fine bleached cotton or fine linen and could be printed. They had elevated waistlines with bodices ending just below the bust. Initially, skirts were equally draped. Sleeves were long and sometimes ended at the knuckle. Sleeves were also short or even sleeveless as in the gowns cut “a la Grecian.”

However, the ancient revivalist styles of Napoleon and Josephine’s empire was short lived. By 1804, the French silk industry had seriously declined and Napoleon tried to recover the nation’s main economic industry by passing a decree that all court dress for both men and women be made of French materials only. Flamboyant colors and elaborate decoration once again epitomized French fashion. By 1810, the corset had resurged in popularity. Skirts slowly took on an A- line shape as the fullness of the skirt moved toward the back.

French Court gown. c. 1815. Kent State University.

In England, the empire style gown was most fashionable as well. Early English empire gowns were cut slightly fuller in skirt width than French gowns and were called “round gowns.” It is assumed the extra skirt width was for modesty reasons. Sheer cotton fabrics such as muslin, gauze, and percale were popular English gown materials. And like the trends across Europe, printed cottons round gowns were in great demand in America as well.

Hair of this period was worn au naturel– tied up in loose fitting buns and other natural styles. Gone were the wigs of the earlier period. Grecian inspired hairstyles were all the rage and some radical women even cut their hair short in the style of a la Titus. However, short hair was not a widespread trend and women who did cut their hair soon regretted it. Girls over the age of 13 rarely wore their hair down.

Since the gowns of this period were so thin, the cold of winter required the adoption of large wool shawls imported from Kashmir, India. (India was a British colony during this period). Another defense against the cold of winter was the jacket. English tailors fashioned the Spencer jacket– a short close fitting jacket cut from the same style as the dress bodice- and later in the period, the Redingote– a full length coat.

Bonnets, hats, and turbans were necessary to complete a lady’s outfit. While in public, women always had at least one of these. At home, ladies wore close fitting cotton caps to cover their unstyled hair.

Other important fashion accessories during this period include the reticule– a small purse-like bag that closed at the top with either a drawstring or metal frame. Reticules were often made of silk but after 1810 were made of velvet and leather as well. In France, lacquered cardboard reticules were popular. Gloves were also prominent during this period and varied in length from wrist (for day wear) to above the elbow (for evening wear).

By 1810, people grew tired of the simplicity of thin gowns and epidemics of influenza had taken many lives. Hemlines began to shorten and garments of heavier woven cottons, linen, silk, wool, and velvet regained prominence. With the fall of Napoleon in 1815 and the return of the French monarchy, empire style gowns were quickly going out of fashion. By the 1820s, waistlines dropped to just above the natural waistline and controlled silhouettes became the norm once again. No longer could a lady go without her corsets and petticoats. And thus was the end of the Empire style.

Children’s Fashion

Thanks to philosophers like Rousseau, for the first time in history, children were viewed as more than just “miniature adults.” These newly promoted ideas of childhood and adolescence are also reflected in the style of clothing during this period. Gone were the tight fitting, swaddling clothes of earlier eras. Instead, loose, adjustable garments were favored.

Girls and boys both wore gowns and pantalettes until the age of about 4 or 5. Only hats and toys delineated gender. All young children wore their hair loose. Neither young boys or girls were corseted during this period.

Older girls and young adolescents continued to wear dresses and pantalettes now cut in the same style as their mothers’. Dresses for girls up to the age 11-12 had mid calf length hemlines and included a set of pantalettes under their gowns. Until the age of 12 or 13, girls continued to wear their hair loose. It was not customary for girls to wear jewelry until after they were married.

After the age of five or six, young boys wore loose shirts buttoned to high-waisted, ankle length trousers- commonly referred to as the skeleton suit (shown lower left). After age 12, boys were dressed much the same as their fathers- in shirts, trousers, waist length jackets, and vests. This style is referred to as the Eton suit (shown upper right).

CalicoBall is a grassroots effort to document, preserve, and present rural America�s diverse historical traditions. CalicoBall is an educational extension of Maggie May Clothing. �2020 Maggie May Clothing

by Susan Jarrett

There is much documentation of what men wore during this period but not a great deal of research on women’s clothing. I suspect this is because early American frontier women and children (of European decent) did not prominently serve as trappers, land surveyors, or explorers. Instead, they made history quietly by building communal ties in what was then the wild and unruly wilderness. What I do know about the clothing on this region I have pieced together from a variety of different historical texts.

The early 19th century was a great time of influx and expansion across America. In 1803, the United States acquired the Louisiana territory from France, doubling the size of the country overnight. Individuals and families began pushing westward from the already settled regions of Virginia, the Carolinas, and Pennsylvania. By 1800, over 150,000 European settlers had emigrated into the Appalachian region alone.

In the 1820s, gold was discovered in Georgia- bringing a rush of spectators into the mountains. From 1830-1838 (against the ruling of the American Supreme Court), Andrew Jackson forcibly removed all remaining Native Americans from their homelands east of the Mississippi to areas known as the New Indian Territories (what is now present day Oklahoma and Kansas). As a result, what was previously deemed as “unsafe Indian territory” was now open to white settlement.

With the opportunity for large plots of open land, many frontier families sold their smaller parcels in Kentucky and Tennessee and moved farther west into Missouri. From 1820-1840, immigration to America was rapidly increasing and the concept of manifest destiny was sweeping the nation. Thus, the massive emigration west pushed white settlement even farther into the the American wilderness.

American clothing in during this period was still very much regional. In Pennsylvania and Tennessee, the Quakers brought with them “plain dress”- or the wearing of fashionable period styles hallmarked by the lack of adornment. In New Orleans, French fashions were still very much en vogue. In New York, clothing amongst the immigrant population was both a sign of cultural heritage and religion. Immigrants held onto much of their traditional dress. It provided a sense of belonging and a sense of community. But clothing also denoted social status. And, only in America could the poor have the chance to achieve a better life. For these people, clothing was an outward expression of the American dream.

But in the untamed American wilderness, things were a bit different. While European settlers took with them a combination of their traditional garb and their new American styles, these types of garments were not always conducive to the untamed terrain and their new living conditions. As these new settlers pushed further into the frontier, they had to adapt their clothing to the demands of the region. Many incorporated deer skin, fur, and other types of wilderness materials to make European- style shoes, breeches, and outerwear.

The quintessential American Frontier garment- known as the Hunting shirt or Hunting frock- originated during the Revolutionary War when southern male colonists joining up with George Washington’s appeared in these fringed linen “hunting shirts.” Originating in the backcountry of Virginia, the frocks evoked the dress of the Native Americans.  On July 24, 1776, Washington wrote that he �earnestly encourages the use of hunting shirts,� in part because they were �justly supposed to carry no small terror to the enemy, who think every such person a complete marksman.�* By adopting the frock, General George Washington single handedly secured the place of this iconographic garment in our nation’s history.

At home, women planted flax from which they harvested, processed, wove, and dyed to make garments for themselves and their families. Once near an established market town, women could visit stores and purchase fine imported European cloth. Examples included osnaburg, calico, flannel, Irish linen, and silk. But these goods were pricey and in a world where money was scarce, purchasing (or in most cases- trading for) fabric would have only been for very special occasions.

It is known that the garments of these early settlers typically followed the silhouette of the period. However, while many a frontier woman owned a silk gown or two, practicality and functionality mattered more than style. An early frontier family’s day was filled with hard labor and long hours. For women, skirt lengths were shorter, necklines higher, and sleeves were long and narrow. Both women and children wore large sunbonnets or woven hats to protect their skin from the sun. Aprons and smocks were always worn to protect clothing from the laborious chores of frontier life.

A standard of rural frontier life was the short gown. Originating in the late 18th century, a short gown was a loose fitting informal bodice reaching only to the hip with long or short sleeves. In Europe, short gowns were traditionally worn by female cottagers and servants but various classes of early American frontier women found short gowns ideal for everyday life. Short gowns were always worn with petticoats (or skirts) worn slightly shorter than dressier garments to keep hems clean and ease movement. Essentially, short gown and petticoats were the first mix and match wear and served as the foundation for the late 19th century development in the shirtwaist and skirt combination!

Calico print cotton short gown. c. 1810 Meg Andrews Antique Dress.

Homespun clothing on the frontier was primarily wool or linen. Rough cotton was often mixed with wool to create a blend known as linsey-woolsey (also called wincey). Fine quality cotton was rare in the earlier years of the frontier as it was exported to Europe, printed, and then reimported back to the United States at a very high price. As cotton production technology advanced throughout the early 19th century however, cotton became more affordable and only a few traditional frontier women continued to use flax.

Homespun dyes were natural and came from nut shells, berries, the bark of trees, and flowering plants. Clothing of the American frontier was completely hand woven and hand stitched. And, except for the occasional specialty item, all garments (including shoes) were made by the frontier families themselves.

Sadly, there is little remaining evidence of clothing worn by the settlers of this period. Because cloth is a perishable good, clothing that was no longer mendable, patchable, or usable was recycled into quilts, bonnets, and dress linings. Most documentation of surviving fibers and prints from this period indeed come from old quilts. What we know of how the clothing looked comes from period sketches and frontier diaries.

Selected Bibliography:

*Personal letters of George Washington. Museum of the American Revolution.

Appalachia: A History of Mountains and People. PBS Series, 2009.

Bush, F.C. Dorie: Woman of the Mountains. University of Tennessee Press, 1992.

Dunn, Durwood. Cades Cove: The Life and Death of a Southern Appalachian Community. University of Tennessee Press. 1988.

Dykeman, Wilma. Tennessee Women. Wakestone Books, 1993.

McCaulley, Margaret. A Cades Cove Childhood. The History Press, 2008.

CalicoBall is a grassroots effort to document, preserve, and present rural America�s diverse historical traditions. CalicoBall is an educational extension of Maggie May Clothing. �2020 Maggie May Clothing

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