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2007 - January Hive
10 Things to Improve Your Kit,
Runaway Fashions, Shifts, Market Wallets
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10 Easy Things to
Improve Your Battle Road Kit
...and a couple of less easy things
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FOR MEN
-
Use a neck
cloth
- Forget
about those horizontally striped stockings -
there's no documentation for them
- Remove
any medals or unit pins from your hat or
coat
- Cover
your buttons with fabric
- Save
the haversack for military
interpretations & use a market wallet or
snap sack to carry your things. You can also
put things in your coat pockets - that's
what they're there for! - Another reason to
wear a coat or jacket!!
-
Lose the accessories in the
hat - one or two folks might have stuck a
pipe in their hat, but there are far too
many out there
-
Remove the ostrich feathers
from your hat unless you are doing an upper
class interpretation
-
Overcast your machine made
button holes with hand stitches
-
Use farmer’s Half Boots made
from black wool to hide inaccurate shoes.
-
Use a razor! Beards were not
fashionable in the 18th century. If you
can’t part with that beard that you’ve had
since high school, consider trimming it to
the stubble stage -- it will grow back!
-
While you have the razor out,
consider trimming your sideburns.
-
Consider making a checked
linen shirt, or unbleached linen shirt
instead of a plain white one when
interpreting the lower sort – and save the
ruffles for an upper class impression
-
Feeling prosperous? Have your
waistcoats fitted to the point of being snug
all around. This garment should serve to
provide shape & support for men of middling
& upper classes. If you are concerned about
too tight a waistcoat, consider opening the
back seam and installing linen tape ties or
eyelets with stay lacing cord (they are
laced up like a pair of stays, and are
eyeletted accordingly
-
Tailor your breeches they
should fit well thru the leg and not be too
long
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Consider a queue ($25-$30)
-
Try contacts or period frames
(for those who wear glasses)
-
Use period documentation for
developing and honing your impression
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FOR WOMEN
- Change
out of the square silk & hand hem a triangle
handkerchief
- Use
real silk ribbon in your cap & around your
neck
- Switch
drawstring waistbands to tape waistbands on
your petticoats
- Leave
the haversack to the soldiers – consider
making a workbag to carry sewing projects
and/or snacks for the event
- Choose
lightweight wools instead of linen for
clothing – wool was much more common and can
be worn year round if it’s light enough
- Take
the flowers and feathers off your straw hat
and decorate it with a simple ribbon
- Wear
two petticoats rather than one
- Avoid
matching and color coordinating, in a modern
way, ALL your outer garments to each other.
-
Style/dress hair under cap to avoid Q-tip
head (head swallowed by cap) or bang hanging
down look to the cap.
- Cut and
resew shift neckline to eliminate throat
swallowing
- If you
don’t have stays or jumps, wear a masher
kind of sports bra under your short gown or
bed gown
- Get rid
of the printed petticoat (or wear it as your
inner petticoat rather than your top one).
Use a solid or balanced stripe if you want a
pattern
- Shorten
your shift sleeves to just past the elbow
and finish with cuff or, if sleeves are
narrow enough, optionally plain hem.
Preferably omit ruffle entirely, or at least
make it no deeper than 1" and only one layer
rather than doubled; ditto ruffle around
neck (preferably remove/omit, or at least
make narrow and single layer
- Make a
bonnet
- Make a
pair of mitts
- Replace
17c style cap or 19c style cap or early 18c
style cap or post-RevWar 18c style cap with
F&I to RevWar style cap. Made of white
linen, no heavier than 3.5 oz
- Lose
the modern jewelry and nail polish
- Use a
run away ad for inspiration on honing your
impression
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What Not to Wear |
(View Full Size Image in New Window)
(View Full Size Image in New Window) |
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Fashions of the Local
Runaways
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Newmarket, Chester County, NH
WAS stolen, on
the December 23. 1781-2 from Abraham Emmit's
House By one MARY NOWLAND; her age I know
not but she is old sold her hair of gray and
black to the puke maker, face of putty, red
hands well worn and short of height, her
teeth are good. She worked helping in the
laundry and may be heading to Exeter to
relatives, had on a Wooster gown of brown, a
white flannel petticoat, a brown changeable
silk quilt, cap of fine linen and a black
silk bonnett, old Green wool cloak and old
red woolen mitts, shoes low and black, took
with her, One laundry stick and an old rag,
One good linen sheet marked Mary Minor, One
white linen apron striped brown, One cream
woolen petticoat, One pr white stockings
with clocking, One worked pocket market NG,
One small woolen pocketbook with red birds
and flowers on front flame on back lined in
linen, Pr pink silk mitts, One gold necklace
with pearl fob, One gold Necklace, One mans
gold watch, Pair of spectacles, One mans
shirt, Newborn white linen shirt with lace
cuffs, white Marcella shirt with lace cuffs,
Dipper pattern blanket, Flannel clot,
quilted Flannel robe, Linen Cap, Red pudding
cap. Girls Frock Pink stripped with flowers
has leading strings, linen shift and blue
check stays. Whoever takes her up, don't
fail To lay her fast in any jail; They will
be as a friend regarded, And, as above,
shall be rewarded. Who brings her home I
will give them it.
Your humble
servant, ABRAHAM EMMIT
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Fled from his
Master in Holliston, a servant Francis
Chamberlain, had on a collarless Jacket of
drab stuff with mariner's cuffs, buff woolen
breeches, red Check'd linsey shirt and
farmer's half boots. The small toe of each
foot has been frozen off. He has a cheery
disposition and is a great and easy liar.
Stole and brought away with him, out of his
master's shop, a number of pewter
Candlesticks, plates, spoons, tools, etc.,
which he may carry in a large wallet. If any
shall catch him up and hold him, shall
receive 5 pounds reward for the servant and
10 for the stolen Goods.
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Lancaster Goal,
July 28, 1775.
THIS day were
committed to my custody, as suspicious
persons, a certain Nancy Kean, as she calls
herself; she is a short thick woman,has
black hair, and a fair complexion; had a
dark green cloth gown with a white
Marseilles petticoat, a black checked apron,
and a green silk bonnet; she has a young
child sucking at her breast, about ten weeks
old, and has with her a daughter with a
saucy manner. She pretends that she means to
join her husband, a soldier with the 10th
Regiment, at the siege of Charles Town.
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Deserted,
Christopher Anderson, an Irishman, between
35 and 50 Years of Age, a lusty well made
man, tall and robust, of a ruddy complexion.
He is a slovenly fellow, much addicted to
Liquor. Had on, when he deserted, a blue
canvas jacket, brown check'd waistcoat,
Russia trowsers, buckle shoes, a silk
Handkerchief, and an old felt hat; he
carried with him a hunting bag and horn. I
will give four dollars to any person who
will secure him. As Desertion is become but
too common, it is to be hoped that every
Friend and Wellwisher to the Cause will
exert himself in bringing such Offenders to
Justice, and thereby timely suppress an
Evil, which if not discouraged, must be
attended with the worst of Consequences.
John R. Davies,
Lieutenant. January 3, 1777.
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RUN AWAY from
the SUBSCRIBER
Ran away from
Braintree early January, a Servant Man name
MATHIAS. Took with him a Document Box
Containing Pen and Ink. 6 feet high, pale
wearing his natural hair, as it remains,
short. Of solid build with good hands. Known
to be illiterate but well spoken, with some
words in the French Idiom, said Runaway may
pose as a School Master of Fine Joiner.
Had on when he
went away worn shoes with paired steel
buckles, old yarn stockings, once white,
much worn shirt. May be wearing new green
linen breeches and vest with bright buttons
and wine coloured linings, all under a
linnen coat, green-brown, of old cut and
battered hat. The breeches have fine metal
knee buckles.
I will give
Forty Schillings for Him and Box or one
quarter for box and contents alone restored
to Subscriber. Viz. Reverend Ebenezer
Thayer, First Parish, Braintree.
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RUN AWAY from
the SUBSCRIBER
THIRTY SHILLINGS
REWARD
Went away from
the Subscriber in Braintree on New Years
Day, with property, a Servant Girl,
answering to the name of ELEANOR. A quick
faced girl of stout stature 5 feet high with
a willful and scattered temperament. She
took with her two pewter spoons of great
Sentimental Value. Was wearing a white linen
shift mended at the shoulder, blue stays,
much worn, linen petticoats yellow and gray,
yellow linen bed gown, brown apron and
stockings, ruffled linen cap. It is unlikely
she will change clothes. Whoever takes up
and secures said servant so that she may be
restored to her master shall have the above
reward and necessary changes. Ten Shillings
will be given for the return of the spoons.
Edmund Soper,
Merchant, of Braintree.
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Ninth Month
25th, 1774.
FOUR DOLLARS
Reward.
RUN away from
the subscriber on the 21st of December last,
a hearty Irish servant woman, named
CATHERINE WATERSON, about 40 years of age,
she is thick and fat, of a forward Conduct,
and talks loud and coarse; has had four or
five Children, and has left two behind her.
She has very long black hair, which she wore
either clubbed behind, or platted, and
rolled round her head, wears no cap, and old
burn marks by her wrists which she may try
to disguise. She stole and took with her, a
large silver spoon, no otherways marked,
than with the maker's name, C. HALL, near
the bowl, a worsted knit pincushion, with a
silver band, gold wire for her ears, five
pairs, with colored stones; had on, and took
with her, a pink linen petticoat, a bed gown
striped with pale green, check apron, two
coarse shifts, with uncommonly wide necks or
bosoms, worn purple bonnet, new shoes,
thread stockings, and an Indian basket. She
being examined, said the spoon was given to
her by her grandmother, and that her father
as lately dead, and she was going to see her
mother, and such like stuff. Whoever secures
said servant, so that her master may have
her again, shall have the above reward, paid
by JAMES GIBBONS, Innkeeper.
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Boston Goal,
Sept. 17, 1765.
WAS committed to
this goal the 3d of September, a boy, who
calls himself NICHOLAS KELLY, on suspicion
of being a runaway apprentice, about 12
years of age but very poorly grown, brown
hair tied sometimes; had on a blue striped
smock, old buff linen breeches, and old
shoes, and a gray worsted cap. Carried with
him a fine white broadcloath
waistcoat and a green cloath coat, much
taken in; also a sack with numerous
articles, viz., shoe buckles, a new linen
shirt, a good felt hat, 1 woolen petticoat,
part made up, and several pairs men's hose.
His master, if any he has, is hereby desired
to come, prove his property, pay charges,
and take him away, otherwise he will be
discharged in three weeks from the date
hereof, on paying his fees.
THOMAS TAYLOR,
Goaler.
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Run away from
the Subscriber, in Concord, a middle aged
Convict Servant Woman named Susan Fells,
stout made, with a swarthy Complexion and a
sour temper, has dark hair. She had on a
dark striped linnen bed gown, a coarse
brownish linnen petticoat, an old-fashioned
cap of which she has the habit to wear with
the ends turned up, and a red Silk
Handkerchief around her Neck. She was seen
heading down the South road, and has a
brother in or near the city of New York,
named Lee, to which place it is likely she
may go. Whoever takes up said servant, and
secures her in any goal, so that her master
may have her again, shall receive Fifteen
Shillings reward, and reasonable charges,
paid by Michael Bright. July 29, 1773
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