Synopses & Reviews
Fashion that was in vogue in the East was highly desirable to pioneers during the frontier period of the American West. It was also extraordinarily difficult to obtain, often impractical, and sometimes the clothing was just not durable enough for the men and women who were forging new homes for themselves in the West. Full hoopskirts were of little use in a soddy on the prairie, and chaps and spurs were a vital part of the cowboy's equipment.
In this book, author Chris Enss examines the fashion that shaped the frontier through short essays; brief clips from letters, magazines, and other period sources; and period illustrations demonstrating the sometimes bizarre, often beautiful, and frequently highly inventive ways of dressing oneself in the Old West.
Synopsis
Did you know that pioneer women sewed lead in their hems to keep their dresses from billowing on the trail? Or that hatless men had to wear bonnets to protect their eyes from the scorching sun?
From old familiar Levi's to the short-lived "instant dress elevator," How the West Was Worn examines the sometimes bizarre, often beautiful, and highly inventive clothing of the Old West. You'll learn how a cowboy's home state determined the way he wore his pants and hat, as well as how to distinguish one Indian tribe from another by their moccasins. Meet John B. Stetson, leading maker of cowboy hats; Adah Menken, whose flesh-colored nylon costume left an audience gaping at her underwear; and Amelia Jenks Bloomer, the promoter of - you guessed it - the bloomer.
About the Author
Chris Enss is the coauthor of
Gilded Girls,
With Great Hope,
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon,
Happy Trails, and
The Cowboy and the Senorita. She is also an award-winning screenwriter with experience in theatre costuming and has a passion for the subject.
Table of Contents
(1) Dressing for a Gold Rush (2) Civilized Style in the Wild (3) Dressing for a Roundup (4) Sons and Daughters of the Trail (5) Prairie Styles (6) A Lasting Effect (7) All Dressed Up (8) Under the Clothes (9) Style in the Ranks (10) Borrowed from the Land (11) Suggested Reading