Colonial Costumes
One of the highlights of any Colonial Day event is giving children the opportunity to dress up in 18th-century clothing and be transported to another time and place. Students can often adapt every-day items to create a Colonial costume. Here are some simple suggestions, as well as resources for more elaborate costumes.
- Sweat pants/slacks pushed up like knickers
- Vest (Available at thrift stores at a minimal cost)
- Tube socks
- Cravat (scarf)
- White Shirt
- Haversack (Bag)
- Tri-cornered hat (see links for sample patterns)
http://www.fi.edu/franklin/birthday/tri-corner.hat.pdf
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/TCR/1576904679_308-309.pdf
Girls Costume Ideas
- Long dress
- Long skirt with a white blouse
- Apron
- Fan
- Mob hat or straw hat (See link for mob hat patterns, instructions) http://www.history.org/history/teaching/tchmhins.cfm
Colonial costumes can also be found online at such sites as Costumes for Less and Costume Super Center. Colonial costume sewing patterns are also available online and at fabric stores.
Colonial Williamsburg offers a PDF guide to resources for more formal and historically accurate costumes.