Guest Author - Karen Blakeney

We know that it is a fallacy to believe that the pilgrims wore only black and white clothes, so what did pilgrims really wear?

The probate records give us a glimpse of how the pilgrims lived. These records were important to the court for tax reason but even more important now to us for the information that they give us. We know that pilgrims wore clothes that were colorful from these probate records. Those same records give us a glimpse of what those clothes were. William Bradford owned a lead colored suit with silver buttons and a red waist-coat but he also owns a violet cloak and a green gown. The Reverend Brewster had a violet cloak as well but he also had a red cap and green drawers.

Part 1

MEN and BOYS
The shift or the shirt was the garment worn closest to the body. The shift was long sleeved, buttoned down the front center with a collar and was very loose fitting and much longer than the shirts of today. The fabric was natural colored (off white) linen.

Stockings were both knitted or of tailored of cloth. The most common stocking were knit of silk, worsted thread, wool or linen and were in many colors including green, red, blue, gray and natural(off white). These knitted stocking were very expensive so many people still had tailored stocking which were made out of kersey, silk, woolen cloth or woolen mixtures. The stocking were held up by garters that were made of fabric or ribbon and many times fringed on the ends.

Pants were called breeches and the pilgrims had several styles to choose from. Breeches buttoned in the front and most styles were baggy and ended at the knee or just below. Some were so baggy they looked like a skirt. Most but not all of the breeches gathered into canions (cuffs). Everyday breeches were made of linen and wool and occasional the less baggy ones were made of soft leather. Dress breeches were made in silk satin or silk velvet if you were wealthy. Breeches were secured at the waist by buttoning or tying on to the doublet or by a belt which was hidden under the skirts of the doublet.

The waist-coat is a vest and was worn under the doublet when it was cold or alone when a doublet was too warm.

The pilgrims jacket was called a doublet, this was a close-fitted jacket well padded with broad shoulders. Doublets buttoned down the front, had stand up collars, and many had skirts at the waist. The shoulders of most doublets were decorated with braids or padded or tabbed embellishments. The sleeves of the doublet were tight fitting and buttoned with plenty of buttons. The fronts of the doublet dipped deeply at the center front and rounded to the waist at the sides. To the bottom of the doublet was added skirts (not skirts like we know) of about three to six inches. These skirts were rounded, pointed, or tabbed. Many of these skirts had numerous button holes in which to attach the breeches.

Capes and cloaks were worn when the weather got cold. Most were circular or semi-circular cut and may or may not have a collar. The thing that is surprising to most people is that most of the pilgrims wore cloaks that were red or violet.

Lace collars and cuffs were very common for special occasions for both men and woman. A ruff or a falling ruff was usually made of thin transparent linen or lawn. The falling ruff was either edged with lace or left plain. Cuffs were also made of thin linen and trimmed with lace

Pilgrims had many styles of hats to choose from. A Monmouth cap was a stocking cap made of wool, and is similar to the stocking caps that we have today. Floppy hats with high crowns were made in several shapes and made of felted wool or beaver. In the 1620s men did not remove their hats a mealtimes and not even in church. But it was required to remove them when a toast was being a made.

Shoes were made of leather, low heeled, low cut and rounded toes, most were tied at the top of the foot with a ribbon or rosette. No, the pilgrims did not have silver buckles on their shoes this was a fashion that came to be in a later time frame.

Gloves were used but Gauntlets were more popular. Gauntlets are gloves that have a cuff on them. Many of the cuffs are highly embroidered.

Holiday Costumes