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The Huntingdon Globe
Huntington, Pennsylvania
Nov 28, 1860
Page: 1
There is a gradual change going on in society now-a-days, so that it is really fashionable to dress conveniently. The “dress” or swallow-tail coat is perhaps the most inconvenient and unsuitable article of dress to be worn out of doors that can be, and yet how many men go to church in this ball costume, and think they are well dressed. Our attention is called to this garment at this time by seeing from our office window a charcoal dealer, standing in the rain, dressed in black pantaloons and a dress coat. A red shirt and overalls would be appropriate, and with a blue frock he would look like a man of sense.
Clothing should always be appropriate and convenient. In farm labors the body has to undergo as many peculiar bendings and take as many attitudes as in the sailor’s, but not as constantly. We go aloft in the barn, we climb fences, spring upon horseback, dig in narrow ditches, and go through all sorts of movements in using the axe and flail, the hoe and pick, the scythe and shovel,; and our clothing, like the sailors, should be loose and easy, warm, not in the way, and many-pocketed, A Dutchman’s frock is a good dress to go to market in; and, depend upon it, a farmer in a frock will be better attended to in market, whether he is purchaser or seller, than if he comes in an old-fashioned rusty broadcloth suit, like a poor gentleman, or decayed professional man. By his very dress he shows that he is not above his business, and buys and sells as a farmer.
A sailor’s dress is after all not exactly the best dress for a farmer. The farmer should wear boots-thick, water-proof boots for much of his work. The sailor wears shoes. The pantaloons of the farmer should tuck into his boots, hence, as little cloth as possible should be in the legs. For our own part we like the style worn by the old countrymen, who breeches button moderately tight about the ankle and half way up the calf. Like the sailor’s, the farmers pantaloons should be supported by the waist-band and not by suspenders, unless indeed the man be grown corpulent, and like a barrel his waist is the thickest part of him,-and should be loose and full about the hips.
It is most important that persons who are liable to profuse perspiration—and all men who labor are-should wear woolen garments next to the skin. Red fannel shirts are to be recommended for both summer and warm in winter, absorb the perspiration, and permit its evaporation without chilling the wearer. The color is bright and agreeable, and it prevents a soiled appearance before the shirt is really dirty. A knit shirt, particularly for winter wear as an outer garment while at work, tucked inside the waistband, is exceedingly comfortable; and when the regular sailor’s pea-jacket, made of good stout pilot cloth, just long enough to cover the hips, with liberal side-pockets, double breasted, and with a good collar to turn up to keep snow out of the neck, is worn outside, a man needs no better clothing for ordinary cold weather. There are no coat-tails or skirts in the way, no difficulty about getting one’s hands into his pockets, nothing superfluous and everything convenient; loose enough for every action, and close enough for warmth. The throat ought, never to be protected, (except when afflicted by a cold or cough; then keep it thoroughly warm,) except in cases of extreme exposure, like driving in a storm or great cold. Nothing makes the person more susceptible to lung and throat complaints than this bundling up with furs, or tippets, or comforters-good in their time, but greatly abused by our people by being used at all times.
Finally-hats. A farmer is not exposed to falling ropes, or spars, or tackle-hence, does not need a stiff tarpaulin, like a sailor or a fireman. His hat should be cool and airy in the summer, and should give shade to his head and face. A light straw, palm-leaf, or chip hat, with a moderately broad brim and low crown, is the thing for the hot season. For the winter we need something which is warmer, which will not blow off easily, which will shade the eyes from the great glare of the sun on the snow, which will in a measure protect us from the rain, and which will not be in the way nor become easily injured. A cloth cap with liberal front-piece, or a medium or low-crowed soft felt hat, answers these requirements perfectly.
As to color garments-the farmer should avoid black, unless he is in the habit of making and attending fashionable parties, and then he must, of course, conform to the mode. All the greys, pepper-and-salts, and great variety of browns commend themselves. Blue we avoid, because it is a color that has been adopted by the military, and has a sort of “U.S.A.” or “U.S.M.” look. Poor stock is oftener made up into black goods than into cloth of other colors-an additional reason why it is not profitable. It shows every speck of dirt, and when threadbare looks poverty-stricken enough.
As to texture. Other things being equal, those goods which either possess a full nap or felty surface besides the thread, and thus are, though loosely woven, quite thick, and enclose considerable air, enclosed in their structure. A shaggy cloth, if not made of too coarse wool, though coarsely woven and loose in texture, will be found warmer than an equally heavy cloth which is woven compactly, and which has been sheared, carded and teazled till on every part the close short nap is laid in an even silky surface. Our clothes keep us warm not by keeping the air off, that is, from contact with the skin, but by surrounding us with a mass of air which is warm and by its adhesion to the fabrics with which we are clothed is not readily displaced, at least not before it imparts a portion of its warmth to the air which displaces it, and so prevents our feeling the chill. Outer garments with a long nap shed rain also much more readily than those with a fine-finished surfaace.
The long and short of this matter is that we should have a regular working dress, which should be made with a view to convenience and decency only, and for other times clothing that can be worn and worn out without its appearing ridiculous. We are said to be the worst-dressed class of the population, and distinguished from others by being inappropriately and inconveniently dressed, and it is because we cannot say it is not so, that we have written the above. Let us make a change. –Condensed from The Homestead.
Huntington, Pennsylvania
Nov 28, 1860
Page: 1
FARMERS’ CLOTHES
There is a gradual change going on in society now-a-days, so that it is really fashionable to dress conveniently. The “dress” or swallow-tail coat is perhaps the most inconvenient and unsuitable article of dress to be worn out of doors that can be, and yet how many men go to church in this ball costume, and think they are well dressed. Our attention is called to this garment at this time by seeing from our office window a charcoal dealer, standing in the rain, dressed in black pantaloons and a dress coat. A red shirt and overalls would be appropriate, and with a blue frock he would look like a man of sense.
Clothing should always be appropriate and convenient. In farm labors the body has to undergo as many peculiar bendings and take as many attitudes as in the sailor’s, but not as constantly. We go aloft in the barn, we climb fences, spring upon horseback, dig in narrow ditches, and go through all sorts of movements in using the axe and flail, the hoe and pick, the scythe and shovel,; and our clothing, like the sailors, should be loose and easy, warm, not in the way, and many-pocketed, A Dutchman’s frock is a good dress to go to market in; and, depend upon it, a farmer in a frock will be better attended to in market, whether he is purchaser or seller, than if he comes in an old-fashioned rusty broadcloth suit, like a poor gentleman, or decayed professional man. By his very dress he shows that he is not above his business, and buys and sells as a farmer.
A sailor’s dress is after all not exactly the best dress for a farmer. The farmer should wear boots-thick, water-proof boots for much of his work. The sailor wears shoes. The pantaloons of the farmer should tuck into his boots, hence, as little cloth as possible should be in the legs. For our own part we like the style worn by the old countrymen, who breeches button moderately tight about the ankle and half way up the calf. Like the sailor’s, the farmers pantaloons should be supported by the waist-band and not by suspenders, unless indeed the man be grown corpulent, and like a barrel his waist is the thickest part of him,-and should be loose and full about the hips.
It is most important that persons who are liable to profuse perspiration—and all men who labor are-should wear woolen garments next to the skin. Red fannel shirts are to be recommended for both summer and warm in winter, absorb the perspiration, and permit its evaporation without chilling the wearer. The color is bright and agreeable, and it prevents a soiled appearance before the shirt is really dirty. A knit shirt, particularly for winter wear as an outer garment while at work, tucked inside the waistband, is exceedingly comfortable; and when the regular sailor’s pea-jacket, made of good stout pilot cloth, just long enough to cover the hips, with liberal side-pockets, double breasted, and with a good collar to turn up to keep snow out of the neck, is worn outside, a man needs no better clothing for ordinary cold weather. There are no coat-tails or skirts in the way, no difficulty about getting one’s hands into his pockets, nothing superfluous and everything convenient; loose enough for every action, and close enough for warmth. The throat ought, never to be protected, (except when afflicted by a cold or cough; then keep it thoroughly warm,) except in cases of extreme exposure, like driving in a storm or great cold. Nothing makes the person more susceptible to lung and throat complaints than this bundling up with furs, or tippets, or comforters-good in their time, but greatly abused by our people by being used at all times.
Finally-hats. A farmer is not exposed to falling ropes, or spars, or tackle-hence, does not need a stiff tarpaulin, like a sailor or a fireman. His hat should be cool and airy in the summer, and should give shade to his head and face. A light straw, palm-leaf, or chip hat, with a moderately broad brim and low crown, is the thing for the hot season. For the winter we need something which is warmer, which will not blow off easily, which will shade the eyes from the great glare of the sun on the snow, which will in a measure protect us from the rain, and which will not be in the way nor become easily injured. A cloth cap with liberal front-piece, or a medium or low-crowed soft felt hat, answers these requirements perfectly.
As to color garments-the farmer should avoid black, unless he is in the habit of making and attending fashionable parties, and then he must, of course, conform to the mode. All the greys, pepper-and-salts, and great variety of browns commend themselves. Blue we avoid, because it is a color that has been adopted by the military, and has a sort of “U.S.A.” or “U.S.M.” look. Poor stock is oftener made up into black goods than into cloth of other colors-an additional reason why it is not profitable. It shows every speck of dirt, and when threadbare looks poverty-stricken enough.
As to texture. Other things being equal, those goods which either possess a full nap or felty surface besides the thread, and thus are, though loosely woven, quite thick, and enclose considerable air, enclosed in their structure. A shaggy cloth, if not made of too coarse wool, though coarsely woven and loose in texture, will be found warmer than an equally heavy cloth which is woven compactly, and which has been sheared, carded and teazled till on every part the close short nap is laid in an even silky surface. Our clothes keep us warm not by keeping the air off, that is, from contact with the skin, but by surrounding us with a mass of air which is warm and by its adhesion to the fabrics with which we are clothed is not readily displaced, at least not before it imparts a portion of its warmth to the air which displaces it, and so prevents our feeling the chill. Outer garments with a long nap shed rain also much more readily than those with a fine-finished surfaace.
The long and short of this matter is that we should have a regular working dress, which should be made with a view to convenience and decency only, and for other times clothing that can be worn and worn out without its appearing ridiculous. We are said to be the worst-dressed class of the population, and distinguished from others by being inappropriately and inconveniently dressed, and it is because we cannot say it is not so, that we have written the above. Let us make a change. –Condensed from The Homestead.
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