Journal Notes

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How the West Was Worn: Bustles and Buckskins on the Wild Frontier

“Buffalo Bill is a magnificent specimen of a man, and has a native grace of movement that is quite captivating. And a look that is unique and fitting in his work.” The Chicago Review, 1872

William Frederick Cody was a frontiersman and noted marksman of the American West. Not only did he bring Wild West shows into prominence, he was a bit of a fashion plate, as well. His knee-length fringe shirts, ornamental leather coats, engraved and embroidered thigh-high boots, and broad-brimmed hat made him one of the most recognizable figures in the United States and Europe. His curly, shoulder-length hair, thin moustache, and small goatee accentuated the look. Costume historians credit Buffalo Bill with “bringing a bit of sophistication to the unruly plains.”

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Everyday wear for women throughout the early West generally consisted of cotton, wool, or linen dresses or skirts protected by an apron. Skirts of the 1850s were simply large pieces of fabric cut into rectangles. Some had inseam pockets, while some had openings in the seams with separate pockets underneath. Workaday skirts and dresses were usually absent of any trim around the hem. If a woman insisted on wearing a hoop with her skirt or dress, the length of the garment measured at least 4 feet wider than the hoop. Dressy skirts, including those worn for dancing, were 2 inches from the ground. Skirts for working could be as high as 6 inches.

Most clothing for miners and their families was homemade. Women sewed endlessly, making and mending garments for themselves and for all the members of their family. The clothing they made reflected the conditions of climate, weather, and income. Woven fabrics were available at general stores and many women purchased what they could afford. Otherwise, they spun or wove most of the material needed for the clothes. The fabric was then dyed using plant leaves, stems and blossoms of wood and meadow flowers, roots, bark, nut-hulls, tree galls, berries, and fruit pits and skins. Sewing patterns you could purchase were unheard of until the late 1880s; instead, clothes were cut from homemade patterns, and occasionally, old garments were disassembled and used as patterns.

Women married to prospectors lucky enough to hit the mother lode dressed in more ornate styles, but like those struggling to make ends meet, still took into account how to keep clothes clean. Caring for clothing, regardless of whether the item was homemade or store-bought, required work and time. In 1867, a two-piece dress of white cotton with a printed background became popular due to its easy care and was sold in stores, then duplicated by seamstresses throughout the West. The garment was known as the “wash dress” because it could be laundered easily. Women from all socioeconomic backgrounds wore “wash dresses.”

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To learn more about the sometimes bizarre, often beautiful, and highly inventive clothing of the Old West read How the West Was Worn: Bustles and Buckskins on the Wild Frontier.

“Historian Chris Enss brings to light the fascinating tales of 13 people who dedicated their lives to breaking barriers and saving lives in The Doctor Was a Woman: Stories of the First Female Physicians on the Frontier (TwoDot Books, $26.95). Fighting a patriarchal medical system, as well as overcoming the sexist distrust of their patients, the pioneering physicians featured — from Dr. Lillian Heath, who assisted in the first plastic surgery operation, to Dr. Sofie Herzog, who had a necklace made of the over 20 bullet slugs she removed from “outlaws and lawmen alike” — make an inspiring statement for gender equality, while also offering a glimpse into the medical practices of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.”

Big Sky Journal

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The pilgrimage west was an arduous undertaking. Emigrants hurriedly loaded their wagon trains with as many personal belongings as they could, and if they were unable to make what little they had fit, it was left behind. Limited space forced many to wear all the clothing they owned on their backs. The basic outfit for a pioneer woman consisted of a gingham or calico dress, a sunbonnet, and a muslin apron. Men pioneers wore simple overalls, cotton work shirts, and caps or broad-brimmed hats.

Many who made the trek were poor, possessing only a single pair of boots or shoes, the soles of which would be worn off long before arriving at their final destination. Socks wore out as well, forcing settlers to wrap their feet in rags to protect them from the elements. When traveling through snow and ice, they wrapped their footwear in gunnysacks to keep their feet from freezing.

In preparation for the trip, women altered their dresses to make walking easier. Several inches were cut off the bottom of the skirt and lead shot was sewn into the hem to keep the billowing material from blowing in the wind. Men wore their trouser legs tucked into their boots for the same reason. Wearing them in this manner also kept out mud and reptiles. Pioneer women’s dresses were worn without a hoop, and the bodice was lined with canvas for strength and warmth.

Before heading west, pioneers consulted guidebooks for advice on suitable dress for the trip, and how to best protect the body against the direct rays of the sun and sudden changes in temperature. If they acquired the necessary items listed, travelers were assured to be prepared for any possible condition.

The following list of articles was deemed a sufficient outfit of on man up on a three month’s expedition:

2 blue or red flannel overshirts, open in front with buttons

2 woolen undershirts

2 pair of thick cotton drawers

4 pair woolen socks

2 pair cotton socks

4 silk handkerchiefs

3 towels

1 comb and brush

1 gutta percha poncho

2 pair of stout shoes

1 pound of Castile soap

3 pounds bar soap for washing clothes

1 bed-knife and small whet stone

To learn more about dressing for travel in the West read

How the West Was Worn: Bustles and Buckskins on the Wild Frontier

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It happened in Dodge City, Kansas. A stranger in town asked a resident where he could find Bat Masterson. A lawyer who overheard the question broke in and said, “Look for one of the most perfectly made men you ever saw, a well-dressed, good-looking fellow and when you see such a man call him ‘Bat’ and you have hit the bull’s eye.

Masterson was known for his trim, neat style, his derby hat, tailor-made pants and jackets, and linen shirts imported from France. He was proof that being a tough lawman did not mean one had to dress like a cowhand.

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How the West Was Worn: Bustles and Buckskins on the Wild Frontier

Grateful to be among the nominees for the Downing Award

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On August 24, 1863, San Francisco’s elite flocked to Maguire’s Opera House. Ladies wearing diamonds and fur coats rode up in handsome carriages: gentlemen in opera capes and silk hats were also in attendance. It was an opening night such as the city had never seen before. All 1,000 seats in the theatre were filled with curious spectators, anxious to see the celebrated melodramatic actress Adah Menken perform.

Adah was starring in the role that made her famous – that of Prince Ivan in Mazzepa. It was rumored that she preferred to play the part in the nude. Newspapers in the East reported that the audience found the scantily clad thespian’s act “shocking, scandalous, horrifying and even delightful.”

The storyline of the play was taken from a Byron poem, in which a Tartar prince is condemned to ride forever in the desert, stripped naked and lashed to a fiery, untamed steed. Adah insisted on playing the part as true to life as possible. The audience waited with bated breath for Adah to walk out on stage, and when she did, a hush fell over the crowd. She was beautiful, with dark hair and large, dark eyes. Adorned in a flesh-colored body nylon and tight-fitting underwear, she left the audience speechless.

During the play’s climatic scene, supporting characters strapped the star to the back of a black stallion. The horse raced up a narrow runway between cardboard representatives of mountain crags. The audience responded with thunderous applause. Adah Menken and her revealing undergarments left the ticket holders in a state of shock – and scandalized the West.

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How the West Was Worn: Bustles and Buckskins on the Wild Frontier

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Amelia Jenks Bloomer was a newspaper editor, public speaker, and proponent of women’s rights and other social reform. She did not design the then-daring outfit that carries her name – a short dress that reaches below the knees with frilled Turkish-style trousers gathered in ruffles at the ankles. She did promote the costume, wore it herself, and watched it become a symbol of the fledgling women’s movement

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How the West Was Worn: Bustles and Buckskins on the Wild Frontier

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Wild Bill Hickok was an American frontier army scout, peace officer, stagecoach driver, and gambler. He was a big man and his 6-foot frame was accentuated by the long wool jackets he frequently wore. The red sash he generally sported around his waist stood out over the dark pants and vest of his everyday wardrobe.

The sash held two pistols, always pointed butt-forward beneath his coat. His giant brimmed hat was cocked on his head and his long wavy hair, parted in the middle, cascaded down his back. Many dime novel readers tried in vain to duplicate his style, but only one could do the look justice.

To learn more about Old West fashion trendsetters like Wild Bill read

How the West Was Worn: Bustles and Buckskins on the Wild Frontier