Women's Pioneer Clothing
refer to Packing List for all items
Dressing in pioneer clothing can have a tremendous impact on the spirit of the trek. Everyone attending trek will be required to dress in period clothing.
We'll be wearing our trek clothing for 4 days, so you may want to have two sets of pioneer clothing. Many items can be found:
* 2 long skirts and 2 long sleeve blouses, OR 2 dresses Women's dresses could be plain or have many ruffles. The sleeves they wore were full, long, and had buttons up the front. Fabrics were cotton in solid colors or small print; bright colors were popular. Blouses and skirts can be used. Modern pioneer trekkers find that dresses and skirts should be mid-calf or above top of hiking boot in length (so they do not trip over their dresses while pulling). Women should wear comfortable shorts under their dresses/skirts to ensure modesty while crossing rivers and to avoid chaffing during the long hike. See below for patterns and links. * Bonnet Women wore bonnets whenever they were outside. They were made of cotton with a deep stiffened brim and back ruffle to protect the neck. Today, bonnets for the girls are required on Trek to protect them from the sun. See below for patterns and links. * Sun Bonnet *Apron (with pockets are helpful for carrying lip balm, sunscreen, etc.) The standard apron was six to twelve inches shorter than the skirt length. It gathered at the waist and tied. The bib attached at the waist and was pinned to the dress bodice at the top two corners. Daytime aprons were made of calico remnants. Sunday aprons were made from white fabric and did not have a bib. For trekking today, large deep pockets are useful to be able to carry different items along the trail. See below for patterns and links. * Shorts, leggings, bloomers or spandex to be worn under skirt (helps reduce chafing) Women should wear comfortable shorts under their dresses/skirts to ensure modesty while crossing rivers and to avoid chaffing during the long hike. * Shoes Comfort is most important. Running shoes or well-broken-in hiking boots are highly recommended. If you are purchasing new shoes you should do so as soon as possible. Many a trekker with brand new shoes wished they would have broken them in first. * Socks Synthetic socks such as acrylic or polypropylene are recommended. Cotton socks can cause blisters. * Satchel/Haversack (optional) It may be helpful to have a side bag to carry lip balm, sunscreen, and other personal belongings. It can be made out of thick cotton or polyester. See below for pattern link. Links to Patterns and Tutorials Pioneer Skirt (Petticoat) Tutorials: http://howtodresslikeapioneer.blogspot.com/2010/06/not-so-pioneer-skirt-tutorial.html http://handcart-trek.org/patterns/Petticoats.pdf Bonnet Tutorials: http://howtodresslikeapioneer.blogspot.com/2010/01/bonnet-tutorial.html http://handcart-trek.org/bonnet_pattern.pdf Apron Tutorials and Tips: http://howtodresslikeapioneer.blogspot.com/2010/06/pioneer-apron-tips.html http://handcart-trek.org/patterns/Aprons.pdf Satchel Tutorial: http://howtodresslikeapioneer.blogspot.com/2010/05/haversack-tutorial.html Neck Cooler Tutorial: http://littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com/2010/07/how-to-sew-neck-cooler.html?m=1 Trek Clothing for Purchase: http://www.etsy.com/search?q=pioneer%20trek%20clothing&view_&ship_to=US http://deseretbook.com/LDS-Clothing/c/6#q=&page=1&sort=popularity&facets=category:6 |