Okay, you all know that if I have one favorite aspect of history, fictional or otherwise, it is CLOTHING. So, you’d think that talking about clothing on the trail would be easy for me, right?
NO. Actually, this was one of the harder things for me to find because, for some weird reason, people talk more about survival and food in their Overland Trail diaries than clothes. This question really came up for the novel I am currently querying – how would they have dressed? I mean, in 1859, we are approaching the apex of hoopskirts. But there is no way they would have dressed that way on the trail, right? It would be totally impractical. So, the question became, what would they wear instead?
Well, I spent way too long researching this for my book before realizing that I was waay overthinking it. After all, there were the fashions in the East and more casual fashions in the West – and working clothes in the Midwest – and on farms – and all those places where people couldn’t afford, either in money or work, to be up to snuff, so to speak, and so, in those places, fashion, in many ways, stood still.
Of course, as in all of life, there are always exceptions – after all, we are humans and humans always have differences. So I am sure that where there was a norm, there were people outside of the norm, but here is a general outline of what one could expect:
Women’s Clothing
- Dresses made of sturdy cloths, calico, gingham, perhaps even wool, with slightly lifted hems so they didn’t trip over them while walking and working. Usually with a printed design, long sleeves, and high neck.
- I’m sure many had skirts with shirtwaists as well in similar style to the dress.
- Aprons – very important to help protect the dress, since most people only had 2-3 dresses to last to the end of the trail.
- Sturdy shoes or boots that usually wore out at some point, at which point new ones had to be purchased or, often, they would trade at Indian trading posts for mocassins!
- Large sunbonnets to protect their faces, often including an “apron” – that long flap at the back specifically to protect their neck.
- Bloomers! Yup, every now and then in diaries, you also run across women scandalized at other women for wearing the infamous bloomers. But based on the fact it is is always called out, my guess is that it didn’t happen that often.
Men’s Clothing
- Shirts and pants. Shocking, I know. Okay, okay.
- Buttoned shirts, generally long-sleeved as well, and made of flannel, linen, or calico.
- Pants made of wool, linen, linsey-woolsey, jeans, cotton.
- Suspenders or belts.
- According to Maria McMartin, they usually wore vests as well, which I didn’t really see referenced much, but makes sense for fashion of that time.
- Hats to protect themselves, straw or felt, often.
- Also sturdy boots. Men’s fashions really haven’t changed much, have they?
Resources
- Years of research, along with:
- Erickson, Paul. Daily Life in a Covered Wagon. Puffin Books, 1997. http://books.google.ie/books?id=ZD8lAQAAIAAJ&q=daily+life+in+a+covered+wagon&dq=daily+life+in+a+covered+wagon&hl=&cd=1&source=gbs_api.
- Levine, Ellen. If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon. Turtleback Books, 1992. http://books.google.ie/books?id=19oEAAAACAAJ&dq=if+you+traveled+west+in+a+covered+wagon&hl=&cd=1&source=gbs_api.
- California Trail Interpretive Center. “What Did the Pioneers Wear?” Accessed February 19, 2024. https://www.californiatrailcenter.org/what-did-the-pioneers-wear/.
- McMartin, Maria. “Dress of the Oregon Trail Emigrants: 1843 to 1855,” January 1, 1977. https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/entities/publication/c15f5aa8-3af5-4b49-b52a-2d64f9e5352d.
Forest Idylls 
Thanks for blogging on this! It was useful for my own writing. I’m writing a fantasy novel.
I’m so glad it was helpful! And yay – I love fantasy!
Really enjoyed reading this! It’s fascinating how the practical needs of the trail shaped fashion choices, especially when it came to clothing that had to endure the journey. The detail about women wearing aprons to protect their dresses is such a relatable and practical touch. It’s also intriguing how fashion norms could differ across regions. Great insights into how people adapted their clothing to the environment
I am delighted that you enjoyed it and found it helpful!!
“This was such an interesting read! The clothing choices on the trail really highlight how practicality was the priority, especially for women with their durable dresses and aprons. I never realized how essential sunbonnets were for protection. Bloomers, though – I can only imagine the reactions! It’s fascinating how fashion adjusted to the demands of survival. https://trapstarofficial.es/
I’m delighted you enjoyed it! I hadn’t realized, either, how necessary they were until I started researching it!
I love how you broke down the different clothing types for men and women on the trail. The mix of sturdy, functional materials like wool and calico makes sense for such a rough journey. And the details about the aprons and sunbonnets were eye-opening—those small touches really show how much care was taken in keeping clothes functional for tough conditions! https://stussygerman.net/
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Your insight into how clothing evolved across different regions on the trail is so cool. It’s amazing to think about how people would adapt their fashion to the demands of the environment. And the fact that some women still wore bloomers adds such a human touch—so interesting that it was considered scandalous back then https://trapstarofficial.es/
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! Yes, it is so interesting to read the old diary entries and hear some of the women discussing other women wearing bloomers – some were envious and others scandalized!