Costume Suggestions and Ideas
for Threads of History vendors and demonstrators
Time period represented: 1830’s - 1850’s
Your costume can be as simple or as elaborate as you like...basically, we ask that you DO NOT wear jeans or t-shirts, etc. Our goal is to give the general public the feeling of “stepping back in time” when they enter the park. Here are some simple ideas and suggestions to that end. For those desiring further study of the subject, see resources listed below.
Men’s Clothing Ideas:
Long dark trousers, white “band collar” shirts. Vest or suspenders.
Women’s Clothing Ideas:
Long dark skirts and white blouses. Aprons. Shawls (though whether you would actually need one in July…)
Children’s Clothing Ideas:
Small versions of their parents...
Resources for Drawings, Photographs, Patterns and Clothing
We do not personally endorse any of these businesses or organizations, but have found them helpful in costume research, and so offer them to you.
Past Patterns, 866-738-8426 or http://www.pastpatterns.com Extensive selection of patterns available for purchase.
Jas. Townsend and Son, Inc. “We are a mail order company supplying 18th and 19th century reproductions for living history. We specialize in Historic Clothing, Camp Gear, Tents, Books, Music, Knives, Tomahawks, Oak kegs and other assorted goods for people or organizations reenacting the periods from 1750 to 1840 especially the French and Indian War, American Revolution, and War of 1812. We have been serving historical re-enactors since 1973.” 1-219-594-5852 or http://www.jastown.com
Harper House Carries an incredible array of historical patterns. 724-637-0157 http://www.longago.com/
History In The Making Costumes for sale. I found their photographs to be very helpful in researching men’s clothing. 1-613-729-7931 http://www.historyinthemaking.org
The Vintage Pattern Lending Library is a non-profit organization that preserves, archives and replicates historic fashion patterns from 1840 through 1940. We believe that these wonderful resources ought to be shared and used, not merely stored away. We make REPLICATED PRINTS of all of our patterns available to our visitors, so they no longer languish forgotten in closets and on shelves. Membership required. VPLL, 1617 Ashby Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94703 http://www.vpll.org
Patterns of History, from the State Historical Society of Wisconsin Patterns. Frustratingly, some of the discounted/discontinued patterns are the appropriate ones. 608-264-6428
Buckaroo Bobbins Although their push is western styles, they have several nice patterns appropriate to the mid– 1800’s. (928) 636-1885 http://www.buckaroobobbins.com
Also...
A listing of many pattern companies and the businesses that sell them can be found at http://www.gbacg.org (this is a good website for lots of costuming info - look around while you are there).
Photos of actual garments can be viewed at http://sensibility.com/vintageimages
There is much more out there - do your own web searches and visit your local library for more research material.
Version 1, 2002