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How the West Was Worn: Bustles And Buckskins On The Wild Frontier
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How the West Was Worn: Bustles And Buckskins On The Wild Frontier Paperback - 2005

by Chris Enss

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From the publisher

Fashion that was in vogue in the East was highly desirable to pioneers during the frontier period of the American West. It was also extraordinarily difficult to obtain, often impractical, and sometimes the clothing was just not durable enough for the men and women who were forging new homes for themselves in the West. Full hoopskirts were of little use in a soddy on the prairie, and chaps and spurs were a vital part of the cowboy's equipment.

In this book, author Chris Enss examines the fashion that shaped the frontier through short essays; brief clips from letters, magazines, and other period sources; and period illustrations demonstrating the sometimes bizarre, often beautiful, and frequently highly inventive ways of dressing oneself in the Old West.

First line

Men and women have always distinguished themselves through fashion.

From the rear cover

Did you know that pioneer women sewed lead in their hems to keep their dresses from billowing on the trail? Or that hatless men had to wear bonnets to protect their eyes from the scorching sun? From old familiar Levi's to the short-lived "instant dress elevator," How the West Was Worn examines the sometimes bizarre, often beautiful, and highly inventive clothing of the Old West. You'll learn how a cowboy's home state determined the way he wore his pants and hat, as well as how to distinguish one Indian tribe from another by their moccasins. Meet John B. Stetson, leading maker of cowboy hats; Adah Menken, whose flesh-colored nylon costume left an audience gaping at her underwear; and Amelia Jenks Bloomer, the promoter of - you guessed it - the bloomer.

Details

  • Title How the West Was Worn: Bustles And Buckskins On The Wild Frontier
  • Author Chris Enss
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition 1st
  • Pages 144
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Two Dot Books, Guilford, CT
  • Publication date 2005-10-01
  • Features Bibliography, Table of Contents
  • ISBN 9780762735648 / 0762735643
  • Weight 0.7 lbs (0.32 kg)
  • Dimensions 9.26 x 7.52 x 0.45 in (23.52 x 19.10 x 1.14 cm)
  • Themes
    • Chronological Period: 19th Century
    • Cultural Region: Western U.S.
  • Category History - U.S.
  • Library of Congress subjects Frontier and pioneer life - West (U.S.), West (U.S.) - Social life and customs
  • Library of Congress Catalogue Number 2005024670
  • Dewey Decimal Code 391.009

Media reviews

Citations

  • Kliatt, 01/01/2006, Page 33

About the author

Chris Enss is the coauthor of Gilded Girls, With Great Hope, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Happy Trails, and The Cowboy and the Senorita. She is also an award-winning screenwriter with experience in theatre costuming and has a passion for the subject.

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