Colonial Clothing By Alexa Handel

Men's Clothing

Men and boys in colonial America wore breeches with long white stockings made out of wool. They also wore white shirts and vests, with long coats over their vests. Men wore linen shirts with collars, they also wore close-fitting jackets that buttoned down the front. All men did not wear long pants instead they wore pants called breeches that reached just below their knees. Breeches had buttons because zippers had not yet been invented, also woolen stockings were worn beneath the breeches.

man's shirt

Women's Clothing

Colonial women and girls wore floor-length dresses. They often wore an apron over the dress, and a bonnet on their head. Women wore bonnets and hoop-skirts. Pilgrim women covered their heads with a cap, they believed this was a sign of respect for God. Pilgrim women spin wool into yarn to make clothes for the winter. They also wore under shirts made of linen, they also wore petticoats under their skirts that reached their ankles. Women wore cotton in the summer and wool in the winter.

A Hoop Skirt

Children's Clothing

The children of colonists wore dresses called gowns until they where seven or eight years old. In the winter gowns were made out of wool, when the weather turned warmer, the boys and girls wore gowns made from either cotton or linen. The gowns had full-length skirts and long-sleeved shirts,. At the age of nine or eight boys stopped wearing gowns and started to dress more like their father and older brothers. Girls began to wear dresses that were more like the dresses worn by their mothers and older sisters.

A Gown For a Girl

Shoes

Cobblers made and repaired shoes because new shoes were expensive, cobblers stayed busy repairing old worn out shoes. The colonists used leather for shoes, belts, and saddles. Their shoes were made of leather and had buckles on them.

A Man's Shoe

Slaves Clothing

In the colonial times slaves wore baggy clothing. That was old and not as nice as the colonists clothing. Their clothes were loose because it was hard to work in tight clothing.

Two Slaves

The End

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