Re: MtMan-List: pilgrim outfit--for women

[agottfre@telusplanet.net (Angela Gottfred)]

A quick, easy, & historic outfit for women : The Native & mixed-blood 
"country wives" of Canadian fur traders dressed in what Daniel Harmon called 
"the Canadian fashion". This consisted of a man's shirt (available from most 
sutlers), a petticoat (drawstring cloth skirt, ankle length or a bit 
shorter, see _Book of Buckskinning II_ or Beth Gilgun's _Tidings of the 18th 
Century_ for sewing instructions), a short gown (woman's jacket--see the 
books just mentioned for a pattern, but Book of Buckskinning VII also has a 
very nice one, suitable for ca. 1810-ca.1825--but a short gown's optional 
for newbies, you can just wear your shirt over your petticoat instead), 
leggins (knee-length, make them from cloth & tie up with a garter), and 
moccasins. To make it REALLY easy, you can wear knee-length stockings until 
you've got the leggins sewn (stockings were carried as trade goods). Take a 
blanket & sash for outerwear when it gets cold or rainy.

This outfit is good  from the 1780's through to the mid-1820's, wherever the 
Canadians (i.e. HBC, North West Co.) traded. With some adjustments to the 
style of the short gown, it may even be good for later on, but my area of 
research is 1774-1821, so I can't really say.

Your humble & obedient servant,
Angela Gottfred
agottfre@telusplanet.net