The women of colonial times wore different clothes than women do today. Their clothing would be considered uncomfortable, hot, and impractical today. Women's clothing consisted of several layers. Working women wore clothing made of cotton, linen, or wool. Wealthy women often wore softer, lighter clothes made from satin and silk.
Typical Women's Clothing Items
Most women during colonial times wore very similar clothing items. The materials used, quality, and decorations of the clothing varied depending on the woman's wealth and type of work. Clothing was often defined as "dress" or "undress". Formal clothing was called "dress" while everyday working clothes were called "undress".
Shift - The shift was the undergarment (underwear) worn by women. It was usually made from white linen and was like a long shirt or short dress that went down to the knees.
Woman in Gown Photo by Ducksters
Stay - The stay was worn over the shift. The stay was very stiff and uncomfortable. It was lined with hard materials like bones, wood, or metal in order to stay straight. The purpose of the stay was to help women have good posture.
Stockings - Long linen or woolen stockings covered the feet and lower legs.
Petticoats - Petticoats were similar to skirts. They were worn over the shift and stay and under the gown. Sometimes multiple layers of petticoats would be worn for added warmth. Many gowns were open in the front where the petticoat could be seen.
Gown - The main article of clothing worn by women was the gown. The gown was worn over the stay and the petticoat. Often the gown had an opening in front where the petticoat would be seen, making the petticoat an important part of the overall dress. Gowns for working women were usually made from fabrics such as wool or cotton. Wealthier women would wear fine silk gowns with lots of lace and decorations.
Shoes - Women wore a variety of shoes. They were often made from leather, woven cloth, or even silk. They were made with and without heels.
Other Clothing Items
Woman in apron Photo by Ducksters
Sleeve ruffles - To dress up a gown, ruffles were often attached to the sleeves.
Muffs - Muffs were used to keep a lady's hands warm in the cold. They were generally padded with feathers or covered with fur.
Mittens - Gloves or mittens were often worn in all types of weather. They covered from the elbow down to the hands with the fingers usually exposed.
Cloak - A heavy wool cloak was worn in cold weather. The cloak would fit around the neck and over the shoulders.
Apron - A linen apron was often worn by a colonial woman in order to keep her gown clean while working and cooking.
Headwear
Women in colonial times grew their hair long, but they seldom let it hang loose. They would pull it back and hide it under a cap or hat.
Cap - Most of the time women wore a simple cap made of linen or cotton. The cap was easy to manage and kept the woman's hair from getting dirty. Caps were sometimes very simple, but could also be dressed up with lace.
Three styles of hats (the cap is shown in the middle) Photo by Ducksters
Hat - Women almost always wore hats when they were outside in order to protect their skin from the sun. Hats could be made of straw, silk, or felt and may be decorated with various items such as ribbons, flowers, and feathers.
Mob cap - A mob cap was a larger version of the cap that covered the hair and had frilly edges that surrounded the face. It was sometimes called a "bonnet."
Interesting Facts about Women's Clothing in Colonial Times
Girls began to dress like women at the age of 5 or 6 years old.
Some wealthy women wore very delicate shoes with paper soles.
Women often wore jewelry including pearl necklaces, silver hairpins, and gold earrings. Puritan and Quaker women, however, were not allowed to wear jewelry.
The fan was an important accessory for wealthy colonial women. Fans were made from paper, silk, lace, bamboo, ivory, and wood.
Fashionable women sometimes wore "hoop" skirts that had a hard framework build into the petticoat to help give the gown a bell shape.
