Two Centuries of Costume in America, Volume 1 (1620-1820)

In Short

This historical study provides a granular examination of the garments, accessories, and grooming habits of early Americans. By analyzing portraits, private inventories, and period literature, the text reconstructs the daily lives of settlers who, despite their hardships, maintained a fierce dedication to European fashion. The work persists as a definitive reference because it bridges the gap between historical events and the mundane details of daily life, proving that a person’s choice of fabric or cut—whether a Puritan’s band or a Revolutionary soldier’s christening shirt—tells a story of identity and status.

The Story

The narrative begins with the first arrivals in Massachusetts Bay, dismantling the common assumption that these pioneers discarded vanity for the sake of survival. Instead, the book demonstrates that early colonists were deeply concerned with elegance, modishness, and social distinction. The text argues that dress functioned as a badge of rank, and that settlers, despite their physical distance from Europe, relied on incoming ships to keep pace with the shifting styles of the old world.

The arc of the book follows the progression of American life through the changing silhouette of the century. The early chapters focus on the Puritan and Pilgrim fathers and mothers, detailing the transition from the heavy doublet, jerkin, and cassock to the evolution of the coat. The text pauses frequently to investigate specific articles of clothing—such as the "whisk" (a neck garment), the falling-band, and the beaver hat—to show how these items traveled from the courts of Europe into the austere parlors of New England.

As the narrative moves toward the eighteenth century, the focus shifts to the increasing sophistication of the American wardrobe. The author details the vanity of colonial grandmothers, the obsession with wigs and periwigs, and the peculiar, sometimes absurd, history of men’s beards, which were often starched or styled into aggressive, militaristic shapes. The story also explores the quiet persistence of children’s dress, highlighting the continuity of garments like pinched shirts and leading-strings, which remained remarkably similar over generations.

The latter portion of the text tracks the transition into the nineteenth century, noting the influence of French fashions on American women’s footwear and accessories. The narrative concludes by detailing the physical challenges of these changing styles, such as the discomfort of wearing thin, French-inspired silk slippers during harsh New England winters, necessitating the use of fur-lined moccasins for warmth. Throughout this trajectory, the text consistently circles back to the tension between the moralizing language of the church—which often preached against "garish and proud" displays—and the irrepressible human desire to follow the latest trends. By the end of the two-hundred-year span, the reader understands that the "land of liberty" was just as bound by the unspoken laws of fashion and social hierarchy as the old countries from which its citizens had fled. The book serves as a reminder that history is not just found in treaties and battles, but in the stitching of a mantle or the cut of a collar.

How It Unfolds

The colonial foundation The account opens by establishing that the early settlers brought a deep commitment to social decorum to the new world. It details the "needful things" a colonist was expected to pack, revealing a wardrobe that was both practical and surprisingly structured.

The anatomy of garments The middle chapters break down the technical evolution of specific pieces, such as the gradual shift from the stiff Elizabethan ruff to the softer falling-band. These sections treat clothing as a mechanical process, explaining how garments like the "samare" (a type of jacket) were constructed and worn.

The moral conflict A recurring beat involves the friction between fashion and piety, with the author citing sermons and biblical warnings used to shame those who adopted new styles. This highlights a culture that constantly debated the "moral effect" of one’s appearance.

The transition of accessories The final movement covers the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, focusing on smaller details like shoes, fans, and hoods. It shows how global trade and shifting geopolitical alliances—such as the marriage of Louis XIV—directly influenced what a woman in Boston or a merchant in Virginia chose to wear.

The People

The figures in this history are defined by their relationship to the dress of their time. John Endicott, the Puritan governor, stands as an emblem of rigid authority, wearing a "stiletto" beard that reflects his status as a severe disciplinarian and soldier. In contrast, Judge Samuel Sewall emerges as an intriguing, conflicted figure; his deep-seated hatred for wigs and "godless" fashions marks him as a holdout against the encroaching influence of worldly trends.

The women, such as Madam Padishal, represent the quiet adoption of high-fashion European trends in an "uncourtlike" setting, showcasing black lace and delicate whisks that mirrored the styles of the French court. Pocahontas appears in the text as a bridge between cultures, her portrait serving as a study in the juxtaposition of Native traditions and the stiff, uncomfortable hats favored by the English. Finally, the anonymous "Good Son" John Hall appears in the correspondence, acting as a purveyor of fashion to his mother in the colonies; he serves to illustrate how the desire for the latest London styles—like lustring whisks—transcended the ocean, binding the colonists to their mother country through the shared language of fabric and cut.

In Its Own Voice

"It is impossible to disassociate the history of costume from the general history of the country where such dress is worn."

The author asserts this foundational principle when arguing that dress is a vital, rather than superficial, component of historical understanding.

"I have seen the remains of a charming pair of court shoes worn in France by a pretty Boston girl."

This observation captures the author’s keen eye for the physical artifacts that ground her broader historical claims in tangible reality.

What It's Really About

At its core, this book argues that "small things"—the width of a lace band, the starching of a beard, the style of a sleeve—are the primary indicators of social truth. It explores the paradox of the American character: a population claiming to value simplicity and religious humility, yet one that remained obsessed with the rigid social hierarchies signaled by elegant attire. The text asks whether a society can ever be truly free of the "moral effects" of vanity, and it concludes that the desire to dress according to one's perceived status is a universal, if often inconvenient, human impulse. It is an argument for the importance of the material world in defining the spirit of a nation.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate the meticulous research of social history will find this volume deeply rewarding. It reads like a guided tour of an expansive family attic, where every item of clothing has a story that links an individual to a larger political or social movement. You will feel the weight of the heavy broadcloth and the fragility of the Flanders lace as the author dissects the inventories of the past.

The book is not without its challenges. The author writes in the prose style of the late nineteenth century, which is often dense and punctuated by long, winding sentences and frequent literary allusions. Some readers may find the lengthy, detailed lists of garment types and historical names tedious, and the inclusion of contemporary (for the author) attitudes toward the "red-men" and religious moralizing can feel jarring or dated. However, for those interested in the evolution of American identity, the book offers a rare, intimate perspective that modern summaries often lack. It stays with you because it forces a realization: the people of the 1600s were not just "historical figures" in drab wool—they were individuals who cared deeply about how they presented themselves to the world, just as we do today.