Everyday clothing had the same basic components of formal wear but were made of less elegant materials. Colonial wear for men, whether casual or formal, consisted of
breeches, a shirt, a waistcoat and coat
. Men would wear a knee-length coat with fitted shoulders and narrow wrists over a high-collared shirt.
What did the early colonists wear?
In these early days, clothes were as simple as possible.
Women wore cotton dresses and petticoats
. Girls wore cotton dresses. Men wore breeches to the knee, a shirt, a hat and boots or shoes.
What did Boy colonists wear?
Colonial Clothing for Boys
Once boys reached a certain age (between three and eight years), they began wearing
pants and jackets
. During most of the colonial period, boys wore full-length pants; before the colonial period, and after the colonial period, boys wore short pants that came just below the knees.
What were colonial clothes made from?
Cotton, linen, and wool
were the most important clothing materials used in the colonies.
Where did colonists get their clothing?
For many English colonists the early years were hard. Most people made their own clothes, cultivating flax and cotton and raising sheep for wool. Clothes for everyday wear were plainer versions of those worn back in
England
.
What did colonists eat?
During the 1700s, meals typically included
pork, beef, lamb, fish, shellfish, chicken, corn, beans and vegetables, fruits, and numerous baked goods
. Corn, pork, and beef were staples in most lower and middle class households.
How did colonial girls wear their hair?
Women in colonial times grew their hair long, but they seldom let it hang loose.
They would pull it back and hide it under a cap or hat
. … The cap was easy to manage and kept the woman's hair from getting dirty. Caps were sometimes very simple, but could also be dressed up with lace.
What did men wear in the 13 colonies?
Colonial wear for men, whether casual or formal, consisted of
breeches, a shirt, a waistcoat and coat
. Men would wear a knee-length coat with fitted shoulders and narrow wrists over a high-collared shirt. … Breeches ended at the knee and were worn with stockings.
What did English colonists wear?
Long
-length, loose linen shirts
.
Breeches
which were short length pants that were fastened at the knee. Socks – long woolen socks were worn. A jerkin which was a sleeveless jacket which could be made of cloth or leather.
Why did the first settlers come to America?
European nations came to the Americas
to increase their wealth and broaden their influence over world affairs
. … Many of the people who settled in the New World came to escape religious persecution. The Pilgrims, founders of Plymouth, Massachusetts, arrived in 1620.
What is a colonial girl?
Most colonial women were
homemakers who cooked meals, made clothing
, and doctored their family as well as cleaned, made household goods to use and sell, took care of their animals, maintained a cook fire and tended the kitchen gardens. … Once married, a woman became the legal property or chattel of her husband.
How did colonial people wear their hair?
Women wore their hair curled around the face
, without a great deal of height. The tete de mouton style even imitated sheep's wool. The back of the hair was braided or coiled and pinned close to the scalp. The style was relatively modest and easily copied by those of lower social standing or in Colonial America.
How did they make clothes in the 1600s?
In the 16th-century women wore a kind of petticoat called a
smock or shift or chemise made of linen or wool
and a wool dress over it. A woman's dress was made of two parts, a bodice, and a skirt. Sleeves were held on with laces and could be detached. Working women wore a linen apron.
Why were the clothes of the colonists sturdy?
Except for the very rich
, for the most part, people made their own clothes so clothes had to be simple, warm, and sturdy. Men's Clothing: Men's clothing was made from wool, leather, and linen. The men wore loose linen shirts.
How did people dress in the 1770s?
Waistcoats extended to mid-thigh to
the 1770s and then began to shorten. Waistcoats could be made with or without sleeves. As in the previous period, a loose, T-shaped silk, cotton or linen gown called a banyan was worn at home as a sort of dressing gown over the shirt, waistcoat, and breeches.
What was the fashion in the 1800s?
For much of the early 1800s,
women's dresses flared up from the waist downwards
to give themselves a more voluptuous profile. They put large wire or wooden hoops beneath their dresses, which fluffed up the skirts.
