Some thoughts about Farmers’ Clothes

[cap tassel]

Re: Some thoughts about Farmers’ Clothes

The irony is that most of it sounds pretty close to what one sees in images, with the exception of going to town. And there it seems the thrust of the article is that one should not be ashamed to dress like an honest farmer in town,

True enough, I know that the kind of dress he's encouraging is seen in images but it makes sense that there was a large enough segment of farmers in Huntington at least that needed his article, or at least he felt so, which gives the possibility that this guy could have just been freaking out over 3% of the farmer population. If we assume he wasn't a fashion fascist then maybe there were a lot of farmers there that wore silly dress up clothes. I'm not as well read on the subject of fashion as I need to be. I've often wondered what drove fashion especially in rural areas, not simply a pictorial progression of what the fashion was at a certain time. Did articles like this one really make people change?

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Some thoughts about Farmers’ Clothes

Men's Trousers:

A friend of mine recently acquired an original pair of Men's Trousers. Here's a few notes:

Broadfalls, Completely Machine Sewn (sans button-holes), constructed of a "grey-green-brown" tight jeans cloth...came from an estate sale in Rockbridge County, VA.

Pretty interesting pair of trousers, I will see if he's willing to post some pics on the forum, with additional notes about these.

Paul B.

[fahtz]

Re: Some thoughts about Farmers’ Clothes

I found this image a couple of weeks ago and posted it on the civilian research group. The LOC has it dates 1848, and I can totally see that, but I would also say that fellows dressed like these would have been seen through our period of focus as well.

Link- http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/cp...0/3g12383v.jpg

[Hank Trent]

Re: Some thoughts about Farmers’ Clothes

I've often wondered what drove fashion especially in rural areas, not simply a pictorial progression of what the fashion was at a certain time. Did articles like this one really make people change?

That reminds me of a quote from Henry David Thoreau's Walden in the chapter on Economy:

When I ask for a garment of a particular form, my tailoress tells me gravely, "They do not make them so now," not emphasizing the "They" at all, as if she quoted an authority as impersonal as the Fates, and I find it difficult to get made what I want, simply because she cannot believe that I mean what I say, that I am so rash. When I hear this oracular sentence, I am for a moment absorbed in thought, emphasizing to myself each word separately that I may come at the meaning of it, that I may find out by what degree of consanguinity 'They' are related to me, and what authority they may have in an affair which affects me so nearly; and, finally, I am inclined to answer her with equal mystery, and without any more emphasis of the "they" - "It is true, they did not make them so recently, but they do now."

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[Ian McWherter]

Re: Some thoughts about Farmers’ Clothes

In regards to the LOC image, I think the gentlemen who appear in it are dressed classically 1848. The working class look of the 1860s, at least from my own photographic analysis as well as study of original clothing, is a bit different. Clothing styles from 1850 to 1860 change dramatically through the course of the decade, and a careful study of images through the decade will show tectonic shifts in fashion even among the working class and the plain simple cothing they wore to work.

I own 17 original frock coats and tailcoats dating 1840-1870. These, I can almost guarantee you, are not the coats of rich men and if I were to lay a circa 1850, or even a crica 1855, frock down next to a circa 1860s frock you would notice big differences.

[fahtz]

Re: Some thoughts about Farmers’ Clothes

Ian,
How did work shirts change from 1848 to 1860? I am wondering as the shirts in the Arabia collections seem to fit right along with this image, and that was 8 years later. Boots changed little, but I am sure the construction of the trousers changed. The caps are that of the style you see in images of laborers.

I know the Ox are only documented to 1848, their construction changed drastically over the 1850's... :D

[Hank Trent]

Re: Some thoughts about Farmers’ Clothes

Ian,
How did work shirts change from 1848 to 1860? I am wondering as the shirts in the Arabia collections seem to fit right along with this image, and that was 8 years later.

I wondered about the smocks (or shirts worn very long and untucked in the style smocks). Would they be getting old-fashioned for Young America by the 1860s?[/QUOTE]

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[Ian McWherter]

Re: Some thoughts about Farmers’ Clothes

Ian,
How did work shirts change from 1848 to 1860? I am wondering as the shirts in the Arabia collections seem to fit right along with this image, and that was 8 years later. Boots changed little, but I am sure the construction of the trousers changed. The caps are that of the style you see in images of laborers.

I know the Ox are only documented to 1848, their construction changed drastically over the 1850's... :D

By the 1860s worksmocks weren't as common, you see them much more frequently in Antebellum America. Shirts had changed by the 1860s as well as the technology used to manufacture them. While the basic "on the square" shirt style still remained (mostly with homemade shirts) mass manufactured shirts followed more modern styles with shaped bodies and armscyes. Also, on the square shirts of the 1860s generally aren't as gathered, billowy or as long and generally don't have the older style neck gusssests with gathering seen on older shirts as in the Workwoman's Guide or on original Antebellum examples. The shirts found on the Steamship Arabia don't resemble the shirts in the image at all, in my opinion, and since the shirts in their collection are reconstucted and altered to some extent it's impossible to use them as proof positive examples.

Boot and Shoe styles and the technology used to manufacture them had changed by the 1860s too. Just compare the original boots and shoes recovered from the Hoff Store site in San Francisco (1851) to the boots and shoes recovered from the Steamship Arabia wreck (1856) to the boots and shoes recovered from the Bertrand Steamship wreck (1865); you'll see an evolution in all of them. I also recommend examining as many examples of original boots and shoes in private and public collections as well for further analysis and comparison.

The styles of workman's caps popular in the 1860s tend to be shorter with smaller crowns compared to the "mushroomy" look common on Antebellum caps. Just compare as many Antebellum images showing workman's caps as you can to 1860s images showing workman's caps and you'll notice distinct style differences.

Thinking that clothing, even among the working class, didn't change over the coarse of a decade is unrealistic. The American economy was booming in the 1850s, just compare the number of patents issued from 1845-50 to the number issued from 1850-55 or 1855-60, it grew exponentially every year.

I just look at all the original clothing in my personal collection: shirts, vests, coats, hats, etc. and can see the huge changes that took place in men's clothing 1840-1870, and I don't collect the clothing of former millionares.:wink_smil

[MickCole]

Re: Some thoughts about Farmers’ Clothes

It seems to me worth keeping in mind that not all men are slaves to fashion. The article describing how farmers should dress kind of reminds of the sort of thing you woulld expect to see in some modern men's magazines urging everyone to update their wardrobes to whatever the latest fashion might be.
Much to my wife's consternation, I am just as happy wearing clothes that are 20 or 30 years out old, rather than spending hard-earned money to replace perfectly good stuff. For example, I have a pair of all-leather wing-tips that I bought in 1976 that have been re-soled a few times, but which I continue to wear when the occasion calls for it. I would still be wearing the 3-piece pinstripe suit I bought in 1976 if it hadn't shrunk so much. :} I have been known to refuse to buy new pants in years when I felt the waistlines had simply dropped lower than I was willing to wear. My father-in-law who lives in a farmhouse that has been in my wife's family since the 1840's was still wearing the tailcoat he first wore in the 1930''s as recently as his 50th wedding anniversary a few years ago.
IMHO, men's fashions have changed over time far more than men's attitudes toward keeping up with fashion have. While photographs, letters, and newspaper articles may provide documentation for what was in fashion at any given time, I am not convinced that all men of the 1860's avidly followed fashion trends to the degree that the writer of the article under discussion would seem to have preferred.
Thus, it would seem to me that it would be perfectly appropriate for at least few men portraying 1860's famers to wear clothing that to someone of more refined taste would simply be hopelessly out of date.
Mick Cole
37th VA Co. E

[Citizen_Soldier]

Re: Some thoughts about Farmers’ Clothes

Greetings,
This is just a quick contribution to the thread, but I feel one of the weakest areas in material culture for War of the Rebellion interpreters is that of civilian clothing and furnishings. There seems to be this mindset of "anything goes" and many living history interpreters do not place nearly the amount of research into their civilian impression that they do for thier military kit. What further complicates this, is a handful of "authentic" vendors seem to have also adopted this mindset and are selling wares that are less then correct for someone who wishes to portray a citizen in the 1850's and 1860's.

In establishing a Civil War era civilian impression I would recommend reading Joann Severa's book Dressed for the Photographer which will provide the reader with some basic information on the evolution of mens clothing in the middle part of the nineteenth century. Furthermore I would advise fellows to study primary material such as genre paintings, photographs, extant garments and etc. before adding an item to a civilian impression and then have at least three primary sources to support that item being worn for the time period being portrayed.

In addition bounce your findings off of people who post solid nineteenth century civilian material culture contributions here on the AC forum. Fellows like Ian McWherter, Hank Trent, and many others that frequent this venue have conducted a great deal of research and would probably be quite willing to help you out.

Darrek Orwig

[MickCole]

Re: Some thoughts about Farmers’ Clothes

Research on civilian men's clothing is definitely a challenge. I am always amazed at the examples of later Victorian (dare I say post-war cowboy era) civilian clothing I have seen at some reenactments.
I have been somewhat fortunate in my own research because my wife found several daguerrotypes in the attic of her family farmhouse, at least some of which we have been able to identify.
Here's an example of a fairly well-to-do farm couple in Middletown, Massechusetts. The daguerrotype dates from prior to 2 November 1862, the date on which Elijah died.
Mick Cole
37th VA Co. E

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Some thoughts about Farmers’ Clothes

It's also worth stating the obvious: photographers captured the majority of people in their Sunday go to meeting clothes. In many areas, Sunday best would be proper for a town or even city visit. In very small towns where the farms weren't far away, one might not see such attention to dress.

There's also the idea of fashion taking awhile to trickle out the the East Coast to the heartland. Even in the 1960s, our teachers were convinced that we were always two years behind the times. In the 1860s, with no television or radio, most people (or at least most wives on their men's behalf) would have had to rely on the fashion reports in Harper's or Godey's. The next point of difficulty would have been finding that season's ribbon colors and such:
"Another case contained a few pairs of scissors, a box of thread, a box of knitting needles, a few crochet hooks, several boxes of buttons and an enormous amount of ribbons of all widths and colors, then used on all women's clothing from the top of their heads to the bottom of their skirts. I have often heard my father say that there was more loss in that case of ribbons than in any other article in the store, as fashions and colors would change, and then the goods could not be sold. The stock of ribbons was invoiced at three hundred dollars." --Maywood Gallaher, Things I Remember, reprinted manuscript, 1942 (he was born in 1856 and this particular store was open in the CW period.)
That's one small general store in a town of maybe five hundred back then; in other words, the PEC place most folks outside a major urban center would have got their goods. The proprietors would have made a trip to Wheeling a couple of times a year to bring in new fabric and notions. They would have the advantage of being able to get things in a reasonable length of time from New York, Philadelphia or Baltimore. However, they'd be buying with an eye to conservative colors and fabrics more likely to stick around for more than a few months.
Even a really good seamstress with a knack for dyeing things will likely find the effect loses something in the translation, not to mention that the sketches in magazines may be, to put it charitably, a little exaggerated. A man seeking to bespeak a suit at the local tailor's might run into someone with a sharp fashion sense, but more often he'd get the guy who had been making the same three or four styles for a good tean years with very minor variations. If you've never bought from an old-fashioned small-town tailor or dress shop, you haven't truly exercised your will to keep saying "no" when the proprietors offer you all manner of shopworn items that went out of style years ago. (I had that experience in high school, when I was trying to buy a dress for a dance. It's Not a Good Thing.)
The "country bumpkin" jokes had some basis in fact. A country girl who went to New York was apt to stick out because of her less than up to the minute dress. The same would be true of her male escort.
Have any of you looked at the Grand Review crowds, or other pictures in which the civilians have been caught in the frame by accident? ? Some of them are dressed to the nines, while some look as if they've just strolled out of their shops. It's an interesting mix.

[laxdoc]

Re: Some thoughts about Farmers’ Clothes

What were the diferences of dress in the coastal Carolinas? Was wool woren? Or did theyn use cotton? I guide at a plantation house, the family had slaves but the owners did not have foreman. He did his own bossing. There is mention of a smock on the next farm during a messy job. Going to town there are drawings of farm wagons with drivers wearing coats with no tail and looking to be about hip long. Would the land owners in the south dress up more than the farm in the north? Any info is needed, they are talking putting me in clothing, and what they are talking about are odd.

[Emmanuel Dabney]

Re: Some thoughts about Farmers’ Clothes

First, we have a matter of semantics.

Take for example, Hill Carter of Charles City County, Virginia who owned Shirley Plantation from 1816 until his death in 1875. He was listed in the 1860 census as a "Farmer." However, he was really a "planter" as there were 193 enslaved people working on his farm. While your situation may not be the same...we typically envision the meaning of farmer to mean the main person involved with the planting, tending, and harvesting of the crops. Nineteenth century farmers may consist of those people but also of plantation owners who refer to themselves as farmers as a synonym for planter.

Then there is the what did they wear part of the question:

This is just as complex as today and this isn't meant as an attack on you but just a casual observation that reenactors are operating in many cases with a limited amount of fabrics that are appropriate to recreating nineteenth century clothing that we tend to get hung up on "What was EVERYBODY wearing not the jaguar skin pants in the one photograph?" But citizens clothing is much more diverse than government regulated uniforms.

I've said this before (The old timers of this forum will say) but people I find still do not know about or are not consulting the wonderful Southern newspaper database that Vicki Betts has compiled. While there is not as much information from the Upper South there is still enough commonality to understand what people were wearing. The link is http://www.uttyler.edu/vbetts.

Here are some examples:

NATCHEZ DAILY COURIER, January 3, 1861, p. 3, c. 7
Black and colored cloth frock coats; black cloth dress coats; fancy casimere paltots and sacs; silk mixed cassimere paltots and sacs; grey, steel, and mixed Harris cass (?), paltots, and sacs; black, blue and cadet satinet sacs and jackets; (?) overcoats; black cloth curtout and sac overcoats; fine black dogskin pants; fine black cloth pants; fancy cassimere pants, various styles; blue and black satinet pants; heavy kersey jackets and pants; fine black satin, silk and velvet vests; fine fancy silk and velvet vests; fine fancy cassimere vests; black and cadet satinet vests; children's clothing--a good assortment.
Furnishing goods. Superior quality of Shaker flannel shirts and drawers; superior quality of Merino shirts and drawers; fine bed flannel and canton flannel undershirts and drawers; lamb's wool, merino and cotton half hose; black, white and colored kid gloves; buck, dogskin, (?), beaver, tarlton and silk gloves; fancy and black silk and satin ties and scarfs [sic]; linen, cambric and silk handkerchiefs; fine linen and bosom french yoke shirts of every size and quality; Trunks, valises, carpet bags, umbrellas, etc; india rubber coats and leggings; boots and shoes in great variety; hats and caps, latest styles; oiled coats and kersey suits, for negroes. Wm. H. Forbes.

SEMI-WEEKLY RALEIGH REGISTER, January 2, 1861, p. 1, c. 2
Attention Farmers!
Look to Your Interests!
We have for you the
Largest Stock of
Kerseys,
Brogan Shoes,
Blankets and
Plaid Homespuns,
we have ever offered to you, and at prices lower than ever. Call and see for yourselves.
W. H. & R. S. Tucker.

SEMI-WEEKLY RALEIGH REGISTER, May 7, 1861, p. 2, c. 6

William H. Avera
Will Patronize Home Manufacturies—
Who will Patronize him?

I wish to say to my customers and friends of Johnston county, that I now have in store a great variety of Boots, Shoes and Gaiters for Ladies, Gentlemen and Children, all of North Carolina Manufacture, and of Superior quality. Call and see them. I will have in store in a few days, Fayetteville sheeting, Osnaburgs, and Cotton Yarn, on consignment, for sale at Factory prices to Merchants, or small advance at retail. I am dealing in North Carolina Cassimeres, Jeans and Kersey, all of superior quality.
In addition to the above, I have a great variety of goods for the Spring and Summer trade, which will be3 sold low, very low for cash, or any kind of Produce. My terms are cash. Goods delivered to prompt paying customers on promise of payment in thirty days, interest charged from delivery of goods if payment be delayed longer.
Bacon, Corn, Flour and seed. Peas on hand for sale, for cash—would like to buy Beacon [sic?], Corn, Flour—would pay cash or any goods I have,
Wm. H. Avera,
Silverdale, Johnston county,
Address Smithfield, N. C.
P. S. I am prepared to furnish North Carolina Kersey and Negro Brogans to the planters of Johnston county, for the coming Fall and Winter, to order at 10 per cent on factory prices—any number of Shoes, from 6 to 14. Also, Boys and Women's Shoes to fit measures. Sample Shoes and Kersey can be seen at my Store in 20 days.
W. H. Avera.
may 1—2m
N. C. Christian Advocate copy 4 times.

COLUMBUS [GA] ENQUIRER, April 10, 1860, p. 4, c. 6

$50,000
Stock of
Ready Made Clothing!
Gent's
Furnishing Goods,
Is now offered at
Reduced Prices
at the
Cash Clothing Emporium
Rosette, Melick & Co
No. 125 Broad St.,
Columbus, Ga.,

The following embraces a few of the Goods in Store:

Overcoats, Overcoats.

100 Moscow Beaver from $22 to $30 00
50 Black " from 18 to 28 00
30 Blk and Col'd Cloth from 10 to 25 00
100 Pilot and Cass. from 7 to 10 00
200 Lion and Seal Skin from 8 to 20 00
250 Satinette and Mohair from 6 to 10 00
100 Blanket and Flushing 3 to 5 00

Business Coats.

100 Black Beaver, plain, from $14 to $25 00
100 " " ribbed, 16 to 20 00
500 Fancy Cas. Sacks & Fr's 7 to 20 00
300 Satinett and Union Cass. 3 to 6 00
100 Flushing Sacks 2 50
100 Peter Sham Satt 3 00
250 Satt. and Kersey Jacket 2 to 3 50

Black Cloth Fr. Coats.

100 Black Cloth Frock Coats at $25 00
100 Black Cloth Frock Coats at 20 00
100 Black Cloth Frock Coats at 15 00
100 Black Cloth Frock Coats at 12 00
50 Black Cloth Frock Coats at 10 00

Pants, Pants, Pants

450 Pair Black Doe Skin Cas. $4 to $10 00
600 Pair Fancy Cass. 3 to $10 00
500 Pair Black and Fancy Satt. 2 to 4 00
150 Pair Blue Satinett 2 to 2 50
100 Pair Kersey 1 50

Vests, Vests, Vests.

250 Black and Fancy Silk Velvet and Plush
Vests from $5 00 to $12
500 Blk. and Fan. Silk do. 2 50 to 8
100 Black Satin 2 50 to 6
300 Fancy Cass. 2 00 to 5
100 Black Cass. 3 00 to

Boys and Youth's
Clothing!

We have now in Store a Complete assortment to FIT ALL SIZES, from 4 to 16 years of age, viz.:
100 Boys' Satt. Round Jackets, $2 00 to $3
150 Boys' Gray, Black Cloth do 3 50 to 6
100 Brown and Blue Cloth do 4 50 to 6
200 Boys' Fancy Cass. Sack and Fr. Coats 5 00 to 9
100 Boys' Black Cloth Coats 7 00 to 14
75 Black Satt. Coats 3 00 to 4
125 Boys' & Youths' Overcoats 3 00 to 14
175 Pr. Boys' Fancy Cass Pants 2 50 to 6
125 Pr. Black Cass. Pants 3 50 to 6
150 Boys' Cass., Silk Vests 1 75 to 4

Cash
Clothing Emporium,
No. 125 Broad Street,
Columbus, Georgia.
3,000 Hats! 3,000 Caps!
Of Every Shape, Color and Quality!

And are offered at LOWER PRICES than was ever known in the City, for the same style.

Rosette, Melick & Co.,
125 Broad street,
Columbus, Georgia.

Trunk Depot,
No. 125
Broad St. Columbus Ga.

All who are in want of Trunks, Carpet Bags, Valises, Ladies' Bonnet Boxes, can find a complete assortment at the

Trunk Depot,
No. 125 Broad St.

The following are a few of the styles we have in store:
Ladies' Sole Leather Trunks;
Ladies' Saratoga do. 3 sizes;
Gents' Sole Leather do., 3 qualities;
Gents' English Leather do.;
100 Packing Trunks, 4 sizes;
Sole Leather Valises;
Wood Frame Valises;
Leather, Enamel, Cloth and Carpet Bags.
We would invite an examination of our Stock, feeling assured that the Style, Quality and Assortment that we are enabled to exhibit, together with Unusual Low Prices! cannot fail to please, and give perfect satisfaction. We feel warranted in saying that none will go away dissatisfied, or have cause of regret.

Rosette, Melick & Co.

SEMI-WEEKLY RALEIGH REGISTER, June 29, 1861, p. 3, c. 7

1861. June 27th. 1861.
New Clothing Just Received.

50 Pairs Fancy Cassimere Pants,
100 Pairs Plain Cassimere Pants,
100 Pairs Black Doeskin Cassimere Pants, of best quality.
50 Pairs Black Drab D'Ete Pants,
50 Pairs Doeskin Cassimere Pants made in Broad fall style.

White Marseilles Vests,
Plain and figured.
White Duck Linen Pants,
Black (silk warp,) Alpaca Sacks and Frocks,
Fatigue Shirts
For Military Companies are received daily
By Express.
Treasury Bonds of the "Confederate States" taken
at par for goods. Also, from those who
are indebted to us by note or
open account.
E. L. Harding.

[laxdoc]

Re: Some thoughts about Farmers’ Clothes

Emmaual, thanks for info. The ladies were talking of knee pants with button shoes. The owner had 60 slaves but had no overseer, so he was in the fields. he had a grist mill, saw mill, brick yard, still for naval stores trade, and a store on the plantation. I can not see him in good cloths while going to the fields and mills. I am thinking he wore heavy trousers and shirt, maybe a vest and a smock in dirty locations. Thanks again for info and lists.