Colonial Day
February 7, 2019
Dressing for Colonial Day
All students will need to wear a colonial costume for the day. All costumes can be made inexpensively
from clothing you have at home.
Amazon Colonial Costumes
Click this link to look at costumes on Amazon!
Guidelines for homemade costumes:
BOYS and MEN
Boys commonly wore:
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shirt (loosing fitting white)
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waistcoat (colorful) -- optional
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breeches (knee-length NOT JEANS) or trousers (ankle-length)
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neckerchief
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cap or hat -- optional
Here is how you can "fake it" for a day:
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a plain white shirt with sleeves that go to your wrist
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breeches can be made from old pants cut at the knee and folded into a cuff or baseball pants are a
great alternative.
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White long soccer type socks that meet the cuff of the breeches.
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a plain vest (optional)
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a handkerchief or cloth napkin, tied at the neck (this helped keep your shirt collar closed;
forerunner of the modern necktie)
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a straw, felt hat, tricorn hat or cloth cap if you wish (directions on how to make a tricorn hat are on
the Colonial Day website)
GIRLS and WOMEN
Girls commonly wore:
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shift (white underdress)
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petticoat (colorful skirt)
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shortgown (like a shirt; this is optional)
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apron
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neckerchief
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cap
Here is how you can "fake it" for a day:
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shift (white underdress)
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a plain white shirt with sleeves that go to your elbow or wrist
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a long skirt, either plain, striped or checked
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a handkerchief or cloth napkin, tied at the neck (this was for modesty and to prevent sunburn)
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an apron that ties at your waist and is plain,
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you can either make a cap by taking a circle of white fabric and putting in a drawstring to fit it to
your head; or, if you do an Internet search for "colonial mop cap" you will find cheap ones you can purchase ($5 or so)
If You Care to Sew...
How to turn an old shirt into a pretend Colonial Shirt
Time to complete: 30 minutes
Supplies:
Men's old dress shirt: Choose an old shirt that is white, brown, blue, red, checked, or striped. Don't choose any really bright or neon colors.
How to turn an old shirt into a pretend Colonial Shirt
Time to complete: 30 minutes
Supplies:
Men's old dress shirt: Choose an old shirt that is white, brown, blue, red, checked, or striped. Don't choose any really bright or neon colors.
Colonial Shirt
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Scissors
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3 Buttons: In the 18th Century a working man's buttons would have been made of horn, bone,
wood, or pewter. A dress shirt might have had thread buttons. Choose buttons about 5/8" wide in brown, off-white, or white metal. Eighteenth Century buttons
usually had 2 holes, not four, or were metal with a loop on the
back. Fabric glue or fusible web, a sewing machine, or a needle
and thread.
Background:
In the 18th Century, shirts were used the way shirts are today, but they were also used as underwear, and to sleep in. Dress shirts were white
and made of fine bleached linen or cotton. They might have ruffles made of lace or linen at the neck and on the cuffs. Work shirts were made of
coarser, cheaper material. They were usually white or the color of unbleached linen, but they were sometimes dyed, or checked, or striped.
Directions:
1. Remove pockets, buttons, and any labels.
2. Cut the points off of the collar to make it rectangular. Colonial collars were often rectangular. Sew or glue the cut edges of the collar together.
3. Cut the rounded edges off of the bottom of the shirt to make it straight. Leave the tails as long as possible. Colonial shirts were long. They came down to the middle of a man's thigh. Glue or sew the hem at the bottom of the shirt.
