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Guidelines for Native Men's Clothing and
Accoutrement:
The basic requirements for an accurate portrayal of an 18th century
southeastern native man are listed here. Also included are some basic ideas and
suggestions for some items that are less essential but effective to add to your
"kit" to improve your portrayal. This is not intended to be a
complete analysis of the material goods of Southeastern Natives during the era,
nor an analysis of differences between the native cultures of the Southeast. It
is merely a starting point for you to build your "kit" from. If
you have documentation for other clothing and accoutrement, please use that as a
guideline as well. We also welcome additions or suggestions to this page,
or the sharing of information to add it to our organizational
knowledge-base-in-development. We will strive to be "common,
everyday, and plain" first and foremost, but this does not mean that
decorative (or decorated) items are not acceptable. It means that a
convoluted excuse or rationale for using an object, including "spoils of
war" should be avoided.Basic clothes:
Trade shirt - White or navy/white checked linen "trade" shirt. Neck and/or wrist ruffles are a dress-up addition. It should reach to approximately mid-thigh, though there are texts and examples that suggest longer shirts are appropriate as well. You may follow tradition and use red ochre or vermilion to "paint" the shirt. Cotton was also available towards the end of the Revolutionary War period, but was less common than linen. If you’re going to spend a lot of time in the woods and want to reduce the glow of a white shirt, soak it in tea or a mild sumac leaf bath with a cup of salt, or use a “Natural” linen material rather than bright white to make the shirt in the first place. Don’t go crazy with the walnuts though. There doesn’t seem to be evidence of native people worrying about blending in; it came naturally J Many sutlers and tailors sell these for a reasonable price for the effort involved in making one, or Beth Gilgun's "Tidings from the 18th Century" has an excellent pattern for a simple shirt. There are also good patterns for 18th century shirts available if you need a paper pattern. Hand sewing visible seams at the neckline and shoulder is recommended. You might want a thinner linen shirt for summer and a heavier, coarse linen for winter wear, as modesty and personal comfort allows. 19th century calicoes are not appropriate for this time period, but Indian
Calico made of cotton was traded to native people at times during the 18th
century. These should be used on a limited basis. If you have the body and skin coloring for it, going shirtless is a good
alternative, especially in battle scenarios. Leggings: we highly recommend navy wool side seam leggings, with or without some simple silk ribbon decoration. Other colors of wool were available, most notably red and black, but navy seems to be most common. Modern native traditions suggest that red leggings are reserved for leaders. If you'd like to portray a leader in formal settings, a nicely decorated pair of red leggings would suit. Leather leggings are also acceptable, but are most appropriate for hunting/battle scenarios, and are also considerably more expensive and difficult to make. Instructions for leggings, courtesy of Dave Mott, are available here. There is not clear documentation on the use of center seam leggings in the
18th century. Please use side-seam patterns until further research comes
to light. Breechcloth: at its most basic, a 12-16" wide strip of wool cloth
(flannel or broadcloth in modern fabric terminology), the width of the bolt --
usually 56-60" long. You may line it with cotton if wool irritates
your skin, but if you full the wool and use a quality material, this is often
unnecessary. The 'clout should reach to about mid-thigh and be wide enough
to cover what's necessary for modern decency (under your shirt). There's
no reason to hem the sides; they'll fray a little and then stop.
Instructions are available here. If you want a nicer look, saved list Stroud 'clouts are available from Wooded
Hamlet Designs and a few other sutlers. You may also use 3/8 - 1/2"
silk ribbon to decorate or edge a plain wool 'clout, or put silver ring brooches
on it. Belt/Sash: Leather belts with period buckles were traded to native
people. Native women wove sashes from wool yarn, using an oblique weave
and often a single color of wool, with white beads to create the color pattern.
Fingerwoven sashes are a very expensive item, so please consult with group
members or do a good bit of research before purchase. Leg Garters/ties: Like sashes, these can vary from a simple
strip of wool cloth or leather to expensive fingerwoven articles. Start
simple, and do your homework before purchasing the high ticket items. Footwear
Center seam pucker-toe deerskin or elk skin moccasins are most
appropriate, though shoes appear on gift and trade lists. Barefoot is also
completely appropriate year-round, especially in the summer when it's
comfortable.A good moccasin pattern created by Dave Mott is available here
on our site, or you can see the well-known "Darry Wood" moccasin
instructions on Native
Tech's site. Dave's instructions are easier to follow though. Braintanned deer hide is a first choice, but commercially tanned elk hide can
make excellent moccasins, especially if you rough the smooth side with sandpaper
or a pumice stone. Other moccasin styles are not clearly documented, so if
you choose to use them, please be prepared to document their use in the time
period and cultural group. If using shoes, you should purchase a mid-late 18th c. shoe and either use
buckles or lace them up. Fugawee
make a very affordable (though not cheap) shoe that will last you for years.
They run a little large and wide in my experience, so talk to the company before
purchasing. Outerwear:
Items such as blankets, cloth wraps/mantles known as
matchcoats, waistcoats, and even full dress coats were traded or given to native
people. The most common of these was the matchcoat. Luckily, this
can also be one of the less expensive items as well.Matchcoat: The simplest outerwear used by almost all native people was
a blanket or matchcoat. A full-width piece of Stroud, duffel, or their
modern equivalents that is as long as the person is tall (about two yards) makes
an excellent matchcoat. You may hem the edges, let them fray, or bind them
with silk ribbon. Decoration with silk ribbon near the ends is one way to
dress up as well. Wool colors most common were dark blue, red, and black,
in that order. Ribbon appeared in many different colors, but yellow, gold,
red, and blue seem to be most common. You can see instructions for
matchcoat designs here
on our site Hint: When you buy cloth for leggings and/or breechcloth,
buy 3-1/3 or 3-1/2 yards and you'll have a matchcoat, 'clout, and leggings. Wash
your wool in warm water and tumble it very briefly in a dryer after it has
dripped dry to "full" it before you cut it or add ribbon decoration. Hair:Hair style varies by cultural group and age. Period accounts suggest
that young men had very specific hairstyles that were shaved on the sides,
leaving a scalp lock or hair on just the top of the head. Older men may
have worn their hair long rather than in a young man's style. Not all
people have a lifestyle that will allow a totally or partially shaved head, so
this is an area to make your own decision on. Slicking your hair back can
both darken it and make it look more period, or you can shave the whole head and
use a prosthetic. This is an important part of a good portrayal, but not a
make-or break thing. Hair decoration could consist of feathers tied in the hair, tubes made of
river cane slipped on a lock of hair, fingerwoven hair fobs, and other
feather/fur decorative items. Long porcupine and deer-hair
Plains-style roaches and war bonnets are not documented in the period, so are
not acceptable. Headwear: Many early to mid century accounts state that native people
went bareheaded all the time, but by the end of the 18th century, it is clear
that native people started wearing some sort of cloth on their heads, often
called a "turban". It is not clear when this began or became
widespread, but use of a turban or head cloth is acceptable. Use a solid
colored silk or wool scarf, though cotton or linen may be substituted, as may
documentable patterns. Also appearing on some trade and gift lists on occasion are tricorn
"laced" hats. We assume these were worn as traded. Fewer
of these uncommon items is better, but may be appropriate sometimes. Physical adornment:Physical Adornment consists of jewelry and tattoos. Period accounts
list ear splitting and piercing, nose rings, and tattoos as common among
southeastern native men. In village council or treaty event scenarios,
jewelry would have been common. In a battle reenactment or hunting situation, it
would have been simple and plain. Jewelry: Ear splitting is probably not a good solution for most
people, but ear rings of the closed-bottom ball and cone type are very common in
18th century archaeological sites. Many early examples are shorter and
wider than modern reproductions. The "wheel" type earring is a
late century item, but may be appropriate for late Revolutionary War
events--more research would be helpful in this area. Strands of beads documentable to the period are common for dress wear.
"Pound" beads (approx 6/0 or 8/0) in white, dark blue, light blue,
red, and black were common, though other colors show up as well. This is
an area that we can help with, and strands of beads are inexpensive additions to
your outfit. Brass welding rod bent into wrist bracelets are a very cheap method of
dressing up. Round silver ring brooches are inexpensive, and were often
used as "change" in trades. Other silver or brass items such as
gorgets, pins, arm and wrist bands, etc. are high cost items that should be
carefully researched. Tattoos are a personal decision, but were very common. This is a
permanent thing, so research a period tattoo very carefully before getting one,
or experiment with various temporary solutions. Personal items:
Personal items such as pipes and tobacco, combs,
small trade items, etc. appear regularly in accounts and lists from the period.
These small, usually low cost items can be the added "bang" for little
buck. Do research before you buy, even if inexpensive.
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Copyright 2004-2010. Southern Indian Department |
