A LIVING HISTORY BLOG.

18TH CENTURY LIVING HISTORY IN AUSTRALIA.

Saturday 10 November 2007

Earlier Items in A Later period.

18th century clothing of the common man on the New World Frontier.
Clothing styles on the frontier was slow to changes, and people had their own preferences and tended to make things the same way as they always had, this applied to women’s clothing as well as men’s. When recreating the early to mid 18th century, it is good to remember that not all of your clothing and equipment will be new in that era, some items and styles will date back into the 17th century. As an example, let us say that you are 40 years of age and the year is 1710. That means that you were born in 1670. In 1690 you were 20 years of age. One could assume that you would still have some items of equipment or accoutrements from that period. If your Parents had given you something of theirs, then it would date back even further, and further again if your Grandfather had given you something, his folding knife or tinderbox for instance.
Another thing to remember is that early items of clothing and equipment can be used in a later period, but later items cannot be used in an earlier period. For instance if your main period of interest is say 1700-1760, like mine, then the same period clothing and equipment could still be used in say the American Revolution period of the 1770s.
The man’s shirt: The shirt needs to be long, knee length at least. Don’t forget that woods women can wear the same clothing as the men.
The waistcoat: The waistcoat too should be long, reaching almost, if not entirely to the knees.
Breeches: The breeches should be French fly and not falls.
The frock: The frock it seems was commonly the shirt-frock. This style is the pull-over type, closed front, open neck with no buttons except one button on each sleeve cuff.
If you need more information, don’t hesitate to contact me.

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