Colonial Men's Clothing

As anyone who’s been to Colonial Williamsburg or studied American history knows, colonial men’s clothing for both rich and poor was radically different from modern dress. Historians and costumers have worked together to dissect the suits of the time and re-create them for stage, screen and historical settings.

Even laborers in colonial times wore neck cloths, waistcoats and coats as part of their daily wear.

When colonial clothing is discussed, the period in question is usually the mid-18th century leading up to the writing of the Declaration of Independence, although the colonial period itself began more than 100 years previously. Colonial clothing is also seen primarily as what was worn by men in the mid-Atlantic colonies, although fabrics and styles varied widely from the north to the south.

On balance, however, colonial men’s clothing can be broken down to a few simple components. A suit consisted of a slim-cut, knee-length coat with narrow fitting shoulders and wrists. This was worn over a long, white linen shirt with a high collar and a hip-length waistcoat (called a vest in modern America). On his lower portions, a man wore close fitting breeches that came to the knee, stockings and black shoes. Everyone wore a hat, the three-cornered, or tri-corner hat being the most fashionable. Everyone also wore some sort of neck cloth at all times, usually a cravat, which was wrapped around the neck and tied in front. Styles varied from the plain cravat to those edged with lace or fringe. For formal occasions, a stock was worn instead.

Northern men, rich or poor, tended towards darker, simpler clothes, while wealthy southern men favored far more elaborate fabrics in attractive, elegant patterns.

Fashionable men carried canes, or walking sticks, not because they needed them but because it was the fashion to do so. Moreover, it was a sign of prestige.

By the mid-18th century, wigs were going out of fashion, although all men wore their hair long and bound at the nape of the neck. A white powdered wig was usually only worn by older, more conservative men, or those who were balding.

For outerwear, men had traditionally worn cloaks. Colonial cloaks featured an upright collar, a cape that covered the shoulders and a length to either the knee or calf. Its status as the outerwear of choice was challenged in this period by the great coat, which went a long way towards keeping a man warm and dry. It was similar to the colonial cloak, except it had sleeves, which sported deep cuffs. Like the cloak, it featured a collar, cape and was knee-length or longer.

It goes without saying that the fabrics for colonial men’s clothing were all natural. While it might be expected that cotton was widely featured, the most common fabric was actually wool. Wool could be used for summer and winter clothes and everything from underwear to the above-mentioned great coats. It could be plain or elegant, depending upon how one worked it. Other common fabrics were silks, linens and leathers. Linen was not the luxury it is today and was worn by almost everyone, especially for shirts. The difference was that a linen could be fine or coarse. Silks, however, were only worn by the wealthy.

Colonial Williamsburg and other organizations dedicated to history have extensive resources for studying the fashions of the period. You can get either patterns or ready-made clothing of excellent quality from the Colonial Williamsburg Web site. More articles and patterns can be found at The Costumer’s Manifesto. You can get even more detailed with reproduction fabric at Trinity Quilts, although you should ask for samples before you select your material. For a stage production, of course, you just want to go with what looks good from the audience. This is one of the most well-documented periods of fashion, so you’ll have no trouble achieving accuracy..

• Mens Designer Fashions
• Versace Mens Dress Pants
• How to Wear a Dress Shirt With No Tie
• Men's Fashion Quiz
• Dress Codes for Men Quiz

• 80's Mens Fashion
• Dress Code for Smart Casual
• Bras for Men to Wear
• Mens Fashion in the 1940's
• How to Fold a Handkerchief