Clothing - Men

FOOTWEAR: There are numerous styles of footwear. The most popular boot was the stovepipe or military style (cavalry, infantry and officer styles) . The period correct toes are coffin toe, square toe or round pointed toe. The pointed toe, ( roach killers), were not introduced until well after the 1900’s. Fancy stitching was introduced in the late 1870’s,(cathedral style). In the 1880’s the fancy stitched boots were introduced and became

popular by the mid 1880’s including scalloped/v-topped and toe stitching. Townies commonly wore brogans. Gentlemen, businessmen and high rollers wore low laced dress shoes with shined finishes. Logging boots, low top work boots like Wellington were an expensive alternative to boots as well as moccasins and leather sandals

depending on the character and the area which is being portrayed. 

PANTS/BRITCHES: Were made of various materials including, wool, cotton, cotton duck canvas, corduroy, denims, etc… The pants of the era had no belt loops and had 6 buttons on the belt, four in the front and two on the back to accommodate a pair of braces. Styles of the day had button flies or button flap fronts, (sailor style), with no zippers. Front pockets and a watch pocket was standard and one or no back pocket was

common. Some pants had holes in the back for a lace to synch, (military styles), while others were equipped with a sewed on strap that form fitted the britches across the upper back. These styles are approved as period correct.

BRACES/SUSPENDERS: Most wool and dress pants were loose fitting and required some extra support and suspenders were popular items in the 1800’s. Cotton, silk, linen, canvas and leather were commonly used materials; some were fancy stitches and/or embroidered. Although there was elastic available it was a very high dollar item and was not used in abundance by common folk. A small piece would sometimes be on the lower

back of a pair of braces for elasticity. Many cow hands wore tight pants and did not need suspenders but others liked the looser fit. Braces in the y configuration had leather tongs that laced through the end of the braces with two button holes on each end. X or H configurations were popular as well and many of these styles had a single button hole on the end of each strap with an adjustment strap on the front. Braces available today are all 

elastic and are allowed as long as a vest is worn over them.