French Civilian Guide
Clothing and material culture of the habitants: men, women, and children of the French colonial frontier.
Women's Dress on the Frontier
Women's dress and lifestyle in the 18th century in New France would have been less restrained than their European counterparts. Their skirts were shorter, the colors and prints were much bolder, and many times a woman on the frontier would let her stays show while working. The basic rule of propriety was that a virtuous woman kept her head covered out of reverence to the Lord and her elbows covered out of deference to custom. It mattered not that her skirts were hiked up to walk through the mud, her bodice was cut revealingly low or her ankles showed, as long as her head and elbows were covered.
Children's Clothing
Infants wore a chemise which was open at the back and held closed with straight pins or ties. The cut-out piece in the front, where the opening was cut for the head, was left attached and hanging and used as a bib. Babies wore various caps on their heads. Little girls and boys less than five years old wore a chemise cut like a woman's chemise, with a jacket or robe over it, made of cotton, linen, or wool. Girls and boys would also wear stays to give support to their young, growing bodies and encourage proper posture. Once the child reached the age of five or so, they would begin wearing miniature versions of their parents' clothing.
Men's Civilian Clothing
Men's civilian clothing included a shirt or smock of linen, hemp, or cotton, usually white, with narrow cuffs, short collar, and reinforced shoulders; breeches of wool or linen, made with a button front; or a wool breechclout worn with wool or leather leggings; a sleeved or sleeveless waistcoat or mantelet; a camisole/gilet, which can be sleeved or sleeveless, worn either under or over the shirt; neckerchief or fichu of black or colored silk; and a capot. They might also wear stockings or hose, straight-last shoes, wooden shoes, or center-seam moccasins. On their head they would wear a red wool knitted tuque, a linen cap, or sometimes a beaver-felt hat.
In addition to the clothing listed, you'll definitely need a period cup, eating utensils, and a plate and/or a bowl. Also a good idea are an oil lamp, a period bottle, and one or two solid-color wool blankets (blue, white, black, or red are best). These items aren't required, but are recommended, and can all be acquired over the course of the first year or two of participation.
Women's Clothing Guide
Chemise (Shirt)
White or off-white, cotton or linen, 3 yards. Sleeves can be gathered into a cuff, have a drawstring, or be long and narrow, and must cover the elbows completely. Necklines are low and are not gathered at the neck like an English chemise. The neck can be trimmed with a small ruffle called a tour de gorge, made from the selvage of the fabric. Can be made in the French style (good for small or average size women) or the English style (better for larger or more mature figures).
Required for first 3 eventsPetticoats (Jupes)
Two are usually worn, depending on weather and fabric. Stick with solid colors at first. Cotton, linen, or wool, 2.5–3 yards. The petticoat should come to about mid-shin. The skirt is straight, and the waist can be drawstring or gathered onto a waistband.
Required for first 3 eventsApron
Aprons range from white to very dark colors, white being reserved for dressy occasions. French women frequently wore aprons of medium to dark colors of coarse linen or wool so they wouldn't show dirt as well. Use cotton or linen, 1.5 yards. A bib is simply a piece of fabric that comes up from the skirt of the apron and is pinned to the front of the outer garment.
Required by end of first yearKerchief
A square of fabric, anywhere from 20x20 inches to 60x60 inches, hemmed, and folded in half diagonally to make a triangle. Worn over the shoulders and tied, pinned, or tucked in front. Cotton or linen, white (most common), or any other color. Stick with solids at first.
Required by end of first yearJackets & Gowns
The Manteau-de-Lit or bedjacket is a loose garment with loose mid-length to long sleeves, mid-thigh length and rather full around the bottom. The front is closed with pins or held shut by the apron. Fabrics are wool, linen, or cotton, lined or unlined. Also worn in the 1750s were mantelets and justes (short, fitted garments with tabs), and gowns such as the casaque or pet-en-l'air.
Required for first 3 eventsCap
Always white or off-white, cotton or linen. Look for one with lappets hanging down the sides, not a "mob" cap (circle with ruffles all the way around), which has not been documented for our time period.
Required for first 3 eventsFootwear
The most period thing to do is go barefoot. Shoes were very expensive and hard to come by; they would have been saved for special occasions. In winter, habitants would wear wooden shoes and/or Indian-style center-seam moccasins. Period shoes are available but do your research first. Wooden shoes cost about $25 and worn with moccasins, will protect your feet from cold and rain.
Required by end of first yearHose
If it's cool enough to wear shoes, you'll probably want hose or stockings. Available from merchants in a variety of colors, in cotton or wool. Stay with solid colors at first; stripes may or may not be appropriate for the 1750s.
Required by end of first yearStays and Undergarments
Under your outer garments, on top of your chemise, you might wear a pair of stays, jumps, corset, or bodice. These range from fully-boned figure-forming garments which lace up the back, to lightly boned and fitted vests. Women of middle- to high-class would almost always wear stays under their clothing to give support and the proper line and fit to their fine garments. Lower-class women may not wear stays at all, especially if out working or in hot weather.
Fort Toulouse was very much a frontier fort, and the dress of the habitants was not quite up to par with that of the cities. Women, if they wore the stays, may even wear them alone over the chemise, without putting on their jacket. While it may be fine to wear the stays alone at home while working, it would not be seen at a market fair. A true bodice or stays is not a waist-length garment; it has tabs or short skirts that are hidden by the petticoats.
Pockets: The petticoats did not have pockets sewn in, so women would wear one or two pockets on a string around the waist, under the petticoats. These are reached by a slit in the side of the petticoat.
Gowns
French women also wore gowns of much finer fabrics. A stomacher would be worn to cover the stays. Sometimes a bum roll would be worn underneath around the waist. Keep in mind that gowns aren't really appropriate to the frontier, although a woman might have one stored safely away for special occasions.
Cloak
Women wore cloaks or mantles with hoods, not coats with sleeves. Made of wool, usually dark blue, brown, or grey. Cloaks are cut in rectangles, with triangles sewn in for fullness, gathered to a hood. Should be a bit shorter than your petticoat. You'll need 3.5 yards of 60" wool, or 4 yards of 45" wool.
Eyewear
If you wear glasses, you may want to consider contacts. If you must have glasses, you should search for period frames and have your prescription set into them. The frames can run upwards of $100, but there is really no substitute.
Required by end of first yearQuestions About Your Kit?
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