How to Make Colonial Era Costumes

Whether you're making a Colonial-era costume for a Halloween party, a patriotic pageant or a period play, you can make an authentic-looking costume using a pattern found in a book, purchased online or from your fabric store. Many historically accurate patterns are available. If you give attention to hand-sewn details and fabric, your costume will have an authentic Eighteenth-century look. Like us, Colonials dressed for the occasion and dress was a sign of status. Do a little research ahead of time to determine the type of character you are creating.This will assist you in selecting the style of costume, fabric and trims.

Things You'll Need

• Pattern
• Fabric
• Thread
• Notions
• Scissors
• Hand needles
• Sewing machine

Instructions

1. Select a pattern for your costume. Historical costume patterns are available in books and online, but they are often "to scale" drawings of actual period garments. An easier option is to purchase a historically accurate costume pattern from your fabric store. Pattern catalogs in the pattern section of your store contain many period patterns for men and women and even include undergarments. These patterns are sized like regular fashion patterns and have clear instructions and yardage requirements.

2. Select fabric for your costume. Use cotton, wool, silk and linen as the Colonials did. They also wore rich colors, so don't be afraid to use something bright, but avoid obviously modern prints. Jacobean prints, which are large, stylized floral patterns, are a good choice for gowns and men's coats, as are toile prints, which show scenes of country life. These prints are available in the home decor section of your fabric store. The wider width of home decor fabric is a cost-saver due to the yardage requirements of these costumes.

3. Cut out and construct your garment according to the instructions, but avoid modern closures. Some patterns are more authentic than others, so if a zipper is called for, use hooks and eyes or lacing with hand-sewn grommets. Straight pins were also commonly used during the period to attach stomachers to ladies gowns.

4. Modify your pattern as needed to achieve the look of layers of clothing, for this is how Colonial garments were worn. For women's gowns, make a separate petticoat that will show under the gown top or add a lace apron or kerchief.

5. Hand stitch buttonholes and hems for an authentic look. Don't machine finish edges.

References

• Historic Costumes and How to Make Them; Mary Fernald and E. Shenton; 2006
• Looking at Eighteenth-Century Clothing;Linda Baumgarten
• The Anatomy of a Gown

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Introduction to Eighteenth-Century Clothing: the official site of Colonial Williamsburg
• Historic Costumes and How to Make Them; Mary Fernald and E. Shenton, 2006
• Masterpieces of Women's Costume of the 18th and 19th Centuries; Aline Bernstein, 2001