Summary

With the first settlers in the New World came styles of clothing from the Old World that eventually mixed with new styles, as trade routes and shipping made cloth and other materials hard to come by and expensive. As the colonists settled along the eastern seaboard, clothing remained an important part of social identity and coping with new surroundings. In Colonial America, readers will learn how men and women dressed, from the earliest settlers to those who fought in the Revolutionary War, from the rich landowners to the poorest servants. Stills from popular movies and plays, along with informative sidebars, assist in re-creating colonial dress for students’ own projects.

Chapters include:

• The First Settlers
• Costume in the Colonies
• Growth
• Made in America
• Military Uniforms
• Textiles.

Specifications

Full-color photographs and illustrations. Bibliography. Glossary. Index.

About the Author(s)

Deirdre Clancy Steer has worked in costume design for more than 30 years and is the holder of the two highest honors in British drama—the Olivier Award for Best Stage Costume Design and the BAFTA Award for Best Film Costume Design. She has designed for 18 productions at The Royal National Theatre. Steer has taught at Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, Wimbledon School of Art, Central St. Martins, and The Motley School and has presented talks and workshops on the history and the social history of costume. Steer founded The Cherubim Music Trust, which raises money for instruments for young musicians. She lives in England.

Amela Baksic is a freelance costume designer based in New York City who works in film, television, and theater. She was awarded design fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. Baksic holds an M.A. from Louisiana State University and an M.F.A. in costume design from Brandeis University.