A polonaise gown.
Wear authentic colonial clothing.
North Carolina Fourth Grade Goal 3.01.
Clothing in the early American period was similar to clothing today; however it also was different. Just like today, people did not wear clothing that was exactly alike; their clothing reflected their own personal style. Also, clothing changed over time; it was different during different periods of the 18th century.
Some of our clothing reflects the style of a working person in the late 18th century. It is not the clothing of high society. If you were working in a shop or going hunting, you would not wear the same clothing that you would wear to a fancy party.
Men wore a colonial shirt. Men wore a waistcoat, which is like a modern vest. Formal dress would include a frock coat over the waistcoat. Men would typically wear a tricorn hat on their head. A working person would wear a workmans cap.
Women wore an undergarment, called a shift; it was like a slip or nightgown. Women wore a petticoat, like a modern skirt. Women also wore a short gown, like a modern jacket or blouse. Formal dress would include a gown, which was worn over everything. Women wore a bonnet on their head.
