A parent or older child held the strings to help the child keep their balance as they walked.īabies sometimes wore something called a pudding, which was a padded roll, around their foreheads to protect their heads.īabies also wore biggins on their heads, which was made of linen or wool and was tied under the chin, to keep their heads warm and wore aprons to keep their gowns clean.Īround age six or seven years old, they began to wear grown up clothing. They wore gowns (a one piece dress) with long sleeves.Īccording to an article about pilgrim’s clothing on the Plimoth Plantation website, when toddlers were learning to walk, long strips of fabric called “leading strings” wore sewn into the shoulders of their gowns. What Did Children Wear?īaby boys and girls were dressed the same way. Men and boys also wore caps made from knitted wool or wide-brimmed felt hats.Īround their necks, men wore either a ruffled collar or a flat collar made of linen.įor outerwear, men often wore coats or cloaks of various lengths that were made from wool.
Contrary to public opinion, these hats did not have buckles on them. These types of hats are also called a Flat Topped Hat or a Pilgrim Hat because of its association with the pilgrims. On their heads, men often wore a hat called a Capotain, which was a tall, crowned, narrow-brimmed hat. On their feet, men wore leather shoes or boots. In addition to these breeches, men also wore wool stockings that came up over their knees and were tied with garters to keep them up. These suits were usually made out of wool or linen canvas. The doublet was attached to a pair of breeches, which were knee-length trousers, to make a suit. Over this shirt they wore a doublet, which was a long-sleeved jacket with a single row of buttons down the front. What Did Men Wear?įor under garments, men wore a loose, long-sleeved knee-length linen shirt. Women wore their hair pinned up under a linen cap, called a coif, and often wore a felt hat over their coif. Women also wore aprons over their clothing to keep them clean and leather shoes. These stockings were hand-knitted and were usually made out of wool or linen. On their legs, women wore stockings, which came up over the knee and were tied with garters, that were made from ribbon, knitted or leather strips, to keep them up.
Pilgrims clothes full#
Women also wore one or two petticoats, which were long, full skirts made out of linen or wool. Over the stays, women wore a waistcoat, which was like a long-sleeved, close-fitting jacket, that was made out of linen canvas or wool. Women also either wore a linen kerchief that draped around their neck and tucked into the top front of their stays for modesty or they wore a flat linen collar. The stays were stiffened using rows of stitching or reeds or sometimes had a flat piece of wood, called a busk, inside the center front of the stay. These stays were stiff, sleeveless garments designed to provide shape and support. Over the shift, women wore stays, which is what we would call a corset. The following is an overview on what the Mayflower pilgrims wore: What Did Women Wear?įor under garments, women wore a shift, which was a long, loose shirt with long sleeves that reached down to their ankles. These images of pilgrims wearing all black with buckles on everything are not historically accurate though and were mostly invented by Victorians who tended to romanticize and embellish the past to fit their own ideals. These famous images of the pilgrims came about in 19th century depictions of them and may have been based on a portrait of Edward Winslow from 1651 in which he is wearing black. Although it isn’t that far off, this is not exactly what the pilgrims wore. You’ll be surprised to know though that this image of the pilgrims is not entirely accurate. One glimpse of their black clothes and buckled hats and you automatically know who they are.
The Mayflower pilgrims are some of the most iconic figures in American history.
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