1820's era clothing - Best vendors?

[Sartana]

I am looking at getting a Kibler Southern Mountain Rifle and am looking at some clothing options that would go along with it. So, early 1800's. What are some of the better vendors for that sort of thing? I am not really looking for the Mountain Man vibe. More....small town American. Southern. Check shirt, vest, era appropriate shoes and pants. That sort of thing. Perhaps even a Carriage hat.....

 

[tenngun]

I’m going to say Townsend’s. Much of their clothing is eighteenth century but they offer narrow fall, and broad fall trousers. Broad fall are a little later, early and 1830s style waistcoats, shirts and topcoats if you want to go that far. Hats of felt and straw appropriate to the time. For shoes I would say Fugawi.
Crazy crow also offers some cloth working mans clothing.
Think about your looks before you invest. You order it and Townsend or crazy crow will send it. They won’t email you that x is mismatched with y. Move slow.
Can you see at all? Or do you know someone who can. Smoke and fire offer a lot of patterns.
Cotton was rare for early nineteenth century, but trousers are about half the price of linen and wears better. Cotten becomes a little more available later in the century

 

[tenngun]

I would say at a starting point, Jefferson booties, any stocking underneath including tube socks, narrow fall trousers, working man’s shirt, and later period ‘classic style’ riflemans shirt or wagoners shirt, slouch hat, wheel hat, flat crown straw hat or bonnet, and match coat until you can decide for a warmer period correct winter coat.

 

[NW Territory Woodsman]

Also another sutler that is adding early 19th century clothing to their wardrobe is South Union Mills. I've never ordered from them, but soon am wanting too, plus they seem to have reasonable prices! They carry, small fall wool trousers, early 19th century tailcoats, multiple hats...etc...

Also be careful with Crazy Crow, it can be hit and miss depending on product. My trekker boots from crazy crow are to me top notch, would definitely recremend. Where their shirts were in my experience quite flimsy and cheap looking for me.

I definely recremend Jas Towndsends to anyone in the hobby looking for goods and clothing. Have some of the best customer service I've seen, allot of their products are made in their shop and nearby town, and everything from shirts, trousers, compass, coats, and other things I've got from them are 100% top notch IMO.

NWT Woodsman

 

[NW Territory Woodsman]

Here's South Union Mills link,

South Union Mills

Excellence in Authentic textile recreations and straw hats

www.southunionmills.com

NWT Woodsman

 

[Phil Coffins]

I thought southern boy just went barefooted and bibs.

 

[tenngun]

To be honest I can’t walk barefoot. But we do underrepresented that facet of history. I bet in a gathering of a hundred common country people cr 1800 we would see more bare legs and bare feet then we see today in the same sized group.

 

[Cruzatte]

To be honest I can’t walk barefoot. But we do underrepresented that facet of history. I bet in a gathering of a hundred common country people cr 1800 we would see more bare legs and bare feet then we see today in the same sized group.

Moccasins are a sophisticated way of going barefoot.

 

[Rodd Boyer]

Cobb Creek Merchants

 

[SyLibby]

South Union Mills has great products, very authentic. He is also a super nice guy that went out of his way to help me outfit my son.

 

[Grenadier1758]

This is a painting by Karl Bodmer in 1830 of a hunter in New Harmony Ohio.

Of course getting Kathy Ring of Cobb Creek to put the wear holes at the elbows will cost extra
.

 

[SyLibby]

This is a painting by Karl Bodmer in 1830 of a hunter in New Harmony Ohio.

View attachment 56406

Of course getting Kathy Ring of Cobb Creek to put the wear holes at the elbows will cost extra
.

Where can I find the original of this? Great painting

 

[Grenadier1758]

Not sure where the original is located. I copied the image from a book on Karl Bodmer's paintings from his expedition on the plains with Prince Maxmillan. in 1830 to 1832.

 

[SyLibby]

Thanks! Do you have the name of the book. Sounds like one to add to the bookshelf.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The collection of Karl Bodmer's paintings are held in the collection of The InterNorth Art Foundation. The collection was used as the source material for the book, "Karl Bodmer's America". I bought my copy when the St.. Louis county Library was getting rid of some books. The Library number is Q759.949 B668K. It was published by the Joslyn Art Museum and University of Nebraska Press, Copyright 1984. ISBN 0-8032-1185-6.

Used copies appear to be available through Amazon.

 

[Cornbread]

Having been in the living history community for MANY years, I put together the same impression when I decided to concentrate on pre Civil War or post war shooting only. So all the “campaigner” clothing for a Confederate is getting reused as “civilian” attire.
“South Union Mills” is definitely a good source and “Sutler of Fort Scott” for new items but take a look at used but still serviceable clothing: eBay and Etsy have things from time to time and if you’re on Facebook, look up “Campaigner Quality Trade Blanket”. Several people are getting out of the hobby and you can find darned good stuff that’s cheap and has that already “worn in” patina (like that painting above).
Look for a baggy sack coat, any type of brimmed hat, and trousers with “poor boy braces” to keep them up. Colors to look for are drabs to iron dyed, rust, sumac, logwood (this stuff turns butternut with exposure to sunlight). And if you’re going all in, check “Missouri Boot and Shoe” for footwear. Several civilian styles are available and even military styles were based on civilian patterns. I have a pair of “CS-6’s” and have been wearing them over 20 years. The quality is that superb.
Focus on plain, everyday, common and you’ll fit right in!

Cheers, James

 

[BillinOregon]

Gren, I note in the Bodmer painting that the gentleman's white undershirt is showing through the tear at the elbow. Would this likely be a long linen or cotton undershirt that also served as "underpants"? Guessing many common folk still wore the undershirt in this fashion at that time.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I was wondering what the white was that is showing through at the elbow. Looking at the over shirt, I can see lapels. I can also see the waistband of the trousers. indicating that the over shirt is of a light material and tucked in. My guess is that the Hunter Russel is wearing a white linen (?) shirt. although no shirt wrist bands are shown. Linen was the cheap fabric of the era. The tails of the white shirt would have been long enough to serve for the "underwear".

I also see that in 1832, Russel is carrying a full stock flint lock as would be consistent for a subsistence hunter. No knife is visible nor is there a strap to carry anything on the left side.

It was a small water color (6" x 8"), so not likely to include a lot of detail

 

[sawyer04]

I had a friend, now deceased, that made his own clothes. Never stitched in his life until he retired. He just didn't care for the modern attire for fit, comfort and functionality. The ready made for the long hunter and trekking was too expensive for his taste. I would say his era was from the late 1700's to the early 1900's,, as he was only concerned about fit and function, not proper time frame..
I see the trade goods of the different vendors have patterns and the like. Maybe a new talent for the aspiring reenactor, for clothing and trade goods. Many wool anoraks have been fabricated from wool blankets fancy and common by individuals.