The students will:
Clothing styles of the Black Loyalists and the Black Pioneers of 1812 varied according to the work performed and social status of the person. Fashion changes happened more slowly then than they do today; however, we do see styles change from the time of the 1783 Black Loyalists to the time of the 1812 Black Pioneers.
Black Loyalist Clothing
Most of the Black Loyalists had once been enslaved. They wore clothing which identified their new status as working class. Some Black Loyalists who came to Nova Scotia with white Loyalist slave owners remained enslaved. They wore clothing supplied by slave owners and which matched their work.
Men's Clothing
Most Black and white men of the working class wore simple buttoned shirts which reached almost to mid-thigh. Most working class men's shirts were hand sewn and made from home made coarse linen or fabric made with a small stripe or check of indigo blue, brown or red. The dyes for the cloth came from natural woodland materials which the Black Loyalists gathered.
Breeches, a type of pants, were worn tight around the leg. They came below the knee. Leather breeches were worn by woodsmen, hunters, blacksmiths and coopers. Most men's breeches were made of towcloth, a cheap, strong fabric woven from the short fibres of flax. Some breeches were made of linen, wool, baize or heavy cotton.
Women made shirts and breeches for their husbands and sons. Many Black Loyalist families had no money to purchase fabric and wore clothing provided by charity organizations. Some Black Loyalist men wore woolen trousers.
Over the shirt, a man of this time wore a waistcoat, a type of vest that came to his hips. The waistcoat had horizonal pocket flaps and many buttons. Waistcoats were made of a dark, plain fabric such as linen. In cold weather, men wore coats made of dark wool, linen or heavy cloth.
Some men wore wide brimmed hats. While working in the fields, men wore clogs or knee high boots. Stockings were worn by those who could afford them. Usually, men wore the neck of their shirts unbuttoned. A neckerchief or cravat was worn around the neck.
Black Loyalists such as Colonel Stephen Blucke, Boston King, Rev. David George of Shelburne, Sergeant Thomas Peters of Digby and Thomas Browspriggs of Guysborough were Black Loyalist gentry. They wore shirts with ruffles, a waistcoat, breeches with buckles, a coat, and a round or cocked hat. They probably carried a cane and a snuff box.
In the 1800's, men's clothing styles changed. Coats were shorter in the front and longer in the back. Clothing fitted more closely.
Women's Clothing
Working and upper class women's dresses were similar. Differences in the detail of design of the dress and the quality of the fabric were evident. The shift or plain dress was made of linen, had a square neck and came to the mid-calf. Petticoats were made of solid and striped cloth -- brown, yellow and deep red, and were worn beneath the dress.
The sacque was an everyday dress which reached just below the hips, the sleeves reached to the elbow. It was worn with a skirt. The sacque was made of homespun material or calico. Aprons were worn either over or beneath the skirt. On their heads, women wore mobcaps. On their feet they wore clogs, cloth shoes, or shoes with buckles. Most women made their own clothing.
Black gentry Loyalist women's clothing was similar to working class women's but were made of fancier quality fabrics. They wore fancier accessories such as wigs, bouffants, bustles, fans, parasols, and shoes of silk.
Rose Fortune was a Black Loyalist woman who came to Annapolis in 1783 when she was ten years old. She started her own business as a baggage handler, and served as a police officer on Annapolis Royal's wharf area. She had a very unique way of dressing. Her petticoat showed under her dress, over her dress she wore a man's waistcoat and an apron. On her head, Rose Fortune wore a lace cap which was tied under her hair. She wore a straw hat on top of the lace cap. Her painted shoes had heels which were several inches high. She usually carried a straw basket and wore white gloves or mittens. This unique way of dress was later adopted by many of the Black Pioneer women of 1812 when they went to Market.
Children's Clothing
Children wore clothing similar to that of their parents. The boys wore loose shirts, breeches or trousers, possibly waistcoats; and in cold weather, a loose coat or sweater. Some wore floppy, flat brimmed hats. Many went bare foot. The girls wore floor length dresses and field length sacques. The waist of the garment was cinched with a piece of cloth. Footwear included shoes with buckles, clogs and cloth shoes. Capes were worn in winter.
1. Discussion
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