Clothing & Fashion in the Old West [Updated]
Fashion inspired by the Wild West continues to be popular today. The clothing of cowboys and settlers captures our imagination because it is both functional and aesthetically interesting.
In this article, we will be covering clothing styles from the 1870s to 1900. This is a typical time frame for the period known as the “Wild West era.”
Of course, frontier fashion was taking form long before the 1870s. Mexican clothing styles dominated the Southwest in the 1820s and beyond, while pioneers on the wagon trails in the 1840s and 50s adopted their own handmade looks.
By the 1870s and with the completion of major railways, the Wild West had its own characteristics that were unique from the East Coast.
The following is a guide to fashion in the American West. We begin by discussing some influences on Wild West clothing and then dive deeper into typical clothing elements for men and women on the frontier.
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Old West Fashion Influences
The fashion found in the American West did not appear out of thin air. Rather, a few key influences helped shape the Wild West clothing we recognize today.
The first major influence was Spanish and Mexican fashion. The “cattle culture” of North and South America originated in Spain, and clothing items like hats, bolero jackets, and spurred boots made up the look of a Spanish rancher.
These items became popular in Mexico and were introduced to Americans in the Southwest.
Mexican ranchers added their own flair to Spanish styles. They wore tooled leather and embroidered accessories that would inspire the look of Western tack and cowboy essentials like belts, bags, and boots.
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The second major influence on Wild West fashion was the overall look of the frontier’s mountain men and fur traders. The West’s explorers were iconic American figures who inspired men to travel further West in search of a fresh start.
Frontiersmen often wore leather and fringe. They preferred leather for its durability in the rugged landscapes and various types of weather conditions found out west.
The final influential style of the American West was that of the cowboy himself. Cowboys wore wool or denim trousers, chaps, leather belts, and boots. These clothing elements made up not only the look of the cowboy but most other men on the frontier.
While pieces like chaps were specific to the type of work done by cowboys, other pieces, like trousers and boots, were essential to the everyday work of everyday men.
Men’s Clothing in the Old West
Men’s clothing in the American West was functional, comfortable, and simple. As we mentioned above, many elements of a male settler’s wardrobe would have been similar to a cowboy.
Settlers needed durable clothing that could withstand hard work on the farm. Because few stores existed and supplies were limited, the materials used for clothing were of upmost importance.
Men wore fabrics like cotton, denim, corduroy, wool, and leather. Fabrics were durable, warm, breathable, and natural.
A typical men’s outfit in the Old West would have included a cotton shirt, overalls or trousers, heavy boots, and suspenders. Because suspenders were considered an undergarment, men would wear a vest or waistcoat when out in public.
Men also owned at least one hat made from straw, felt, or fur. The materials worn depended largely on the season.
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Besides his everyday workwear, a man living in the West would also own a well-fitting suit for Sunday. This would have been his “Sunday Best” to wear to church and other social functions.
Women’s Pioneer Fashion
Women’s clothing on the frontier was also simple, economical, and functional. Often, women’s clothing styles were two to eight years behind those of the East Coast.
While women in the Old West had to contend with limited materials, many tried to keep up with fashion trends as best they could. Women traveling West carried with them Eastern styles to replicate when they arrived in their new homes.
They also traded copies of the Godey’s Lady’s Book, which was an extremely popular women’s magazine that included articles, poetry, illustrations, and full dress patterns to use at home.
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Some frontier women made their own linen fabric from homegrown flax. Fabric could be woven and dyed at home for cheap, but fabrics could also be purchased in town at general stores. Calico, a staple fabric in the Old West, sold for five to eight cents per yard.
Women cherished store-bought fabrics and kept baskets of scraps for children’s clothes, mending, toy-making and more.
Besides linen and calico, other popular fabrics used on the frontier included muslin and linsey woolsey. Muslin is similar to cotton and was used for underwear. Linsey woolsey was a linen and wool blend that offered warmth in the cooler months.
Clothing was made by women in the winter, when outdoor chores ceased and women stayed inside to prepare for spring. Although many families lived miles from each other, women still prioritized taking proper care of their clothing.
Regular washing and ironing were two important ways pioneer women kept their family’s clothing good condition. Women and girls usually owned two everyday dresses so that one could be washed while the other was worn.
Aprons were essential pieces worn over dresses to keep them clean longer.
Unlike the ruffled and bustled styles of the East Coast, pioneer dresses were simple and functional for everyday work. They had long sleeves, high necklines, and were hemmed up to three inches shorter that normal for ease of movement.
Some women even added weights to their hems to keep their skirts from blowing up in the wind!
While women wore simple dresses on an everyday basis, their Sunday Best could be far more extravagant. Social gatherings were important in frontier communities. Events like parties, barn raisings, and roundups called for wider skirts, more luxurious fabrics, and indulgent accessories.
Social clothing was far fancier than everyday clothing and was thus treasured by settler women. Some brought their best dresses with them from the East, while others created their own looks inspired by Eastern fashion.
Under their dresses, women in the American West layered petticoats to keep warm in all types of weather. Corsets were worn as frequently as possible, even in the Old West, as they were important to women of the time.
Accessories were pretty common in the Wild West, especially for church and other gatherings. Women used techniques like lacemaking, embroidery, and crochet as embellishments. Accessories like brooches, lockets, earrings, hair ribbons, and shawls were special possessions.
Accessories were brought from the East or commonly mail ordered through catalogs by Sears and other companies.
Conclusion
Menswear of the Wild West was influenced by Spanish cattle culture, frontiersmen, and American cowboys. Styles were kept simple and functional for life on the farm.
Fabrics like linen, cotton, wool, and calico were staples for pioneer families.
Women did most of the work making, mending, and caring for their family’s clothing. Many brought styles with them from the East and creatively adapted what they had to make their clothing as functional, yet beautiful as possible.
While life on the frontier included a lot of hard work, men and women still gathered for fun social gatherings and wore their best clothing on these occasions.
Accessories and embellishments helped make clothing styles more interesting and elegant for the settlers who wore them.