![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Clothing of the American frontier was completely hand woven and hand stitched. Homespun dyes were natural and came from nut shells, berries, the bark of trees, and flowering plants. As cotton production technology advanced throughout the early 19th century however, cotton became more affordable and only a few traditional frontier women continued to use flax. Fine quality cotton was rare in the earlier years of the frontier as it was exported to Europe, printed, and then reimported back to the United States at a very high price. Rough cotton was often mixed with wool to create a blend known as linsey-woolsey (also called wincey). Homespun clothing on the frontier was primarily wool or linen. ![]() On July 24, 1776, Washington wrote that he � earnestly encourages the use of hunting shirts,� in part because they were � justly supposed to carry no small terror to the enemy, who think every such person a complete marksman.� * By adopting the frock, General George Washington single handedly secured the place of this iconographic garment in our nation’s history.Ĭalico print cotton short gown. The quintessential American Frontier garment- known as the Hunting shirt or Hunting frock- originated during the Revolutionary War when southern male colonists joining up with George Washington’s appeared in these fringed linen “hunting shirts.” Originating in the backcountry of Virginia, the frocks evoked the dress of the Native Americans. Many incorporated deer skin, fur, and other types of wilderness materials to make European- style shoes, breeches, and outerwear. As these new settlers pushed further into the frontier, they had to adapt their clothing to the demands of the region. While European settlers took with them a combination of their traditional garb and their new American styles, these types of garments were not always conducive to the untamed terrain and their new living conditions. The DAR Museum.īut in the untamed American wilderness, things were a bit different. ![]()
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