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| Period Clothing- western period, 1825-1840 Home |
| Most of the members of the party re-create the clothing and equipment of the (roughly)1825-1840 era, and the following information reflects this. AMM guidelines require all clothing and personal equipment be fully authentic to the period and place, and made using original materials and methods- by hand. Documentation is essential. The follwing pages will assist you with principles for an accurate re-creation of the clothing and personal equipment of the western trapper. Considerable variation existed, yet these suggestions demonstrate common, fully documented types and will serve as a helpful guide. |
| Description of a Trapper "His dress and appearance are equally singular. His skin, from constant exposure, assumes a hue almost as dark as that of the Aborigine, and his features and physical structure attain a rough and hardy cast. His hair, through inattention, becomes long, coarse, and bushy, and loosely dangles upon his shoulders. His head is surmounted by a low crowned wool-hat, or a rude substitute of his own manufacture. His clothes are of buckskin, gaily fringed at the seams with strings of the same material, cut and made in a fashion peculiar to himself and associates. The deer and buffalo furnish him the required covering for his feet, which he fabricates at the impulse of want. His waist is encircled with a belt of leather, holding encased his butcher-knife and pistols-while from his neck is suspended a bullet-pouch securely fastened to the belt in front, and beneath the right arm hangs a powder-horn transversely from his shoulder, behind which, upon the strap attached to it, are affixed his bullet-mould, ball-screw, wiper, awl, &c. With a gun-stick made of some hard wood, and a good rifle placed in his hands, carrying from thirty to thirty-five balls to the pound, the reader will have before him a correct likeness of a genuine mountaineer, when fully equipped." -Rufus Sage, 1841 |
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| Shirts- Most trappers wore cloth shirts, of wool flannel (often red), "fancy" calico or of domestic cotton cloth, like plaids and checks. Long tails, small collars and full sleeves. |
| One of the most common types of coats was one of leather, cut on common frock coat patterns, and often fringed. These "hunting coats" are visually described by A.J. Miller, Tait, Ranney and other period artists. |
| Basics, Lower Half |
| Trousers or Pantaloons- Can be or leather or cloth, and primarily of fall-front patterns. Many men wore wool satinette pants or grey or blue-grey colors. High waisted, baggy-seat. Most leather pants were made using cloth pants as the pattern. Coth pants can be protected with leggings of hide. |
| Moccasins- The two most common moccasins used by white trappers. These were soft soles, but sewing on extra layers at the sole was common. The style seen on the left is the most common style shown by period artists who depicted the trappers. |
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| Basics, Upper Half |
| "Antoine Clement-Principal Hunter" by A. J. Miller |
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| Coats |