Heaven bless the Victorians and their romantic notions of the past. It is from them that we have acquired so much of our popular conceptions of history. It was they who first popularized the idea of Pilgrims wearing nothing but black and white. It was they who created the image hats and shoes with oversized buckles as the uniform for what was worn in the Plymouth Colony. In reality, Pilgrim clothing was far more colorful. There were reds, russets , greens, and blues. Black was worn, but not exclusively. Buckles came later in the 1600s. We have little of the clothing of that day as things that wore out were used as rags and tossed - much as we would do today. However, when someone passed away a listing was made of their possessions which included descriptions of their clothing including its color.
Women had a shirt-like garment called a shift, and over this she put on stays and petticoats. For outer clothing women wore a dress/gown, or a waistcoat (fitted jacket) and skirt. A woman’s hair was tucked under a cap called a coif. This cloth bonnet is meant to imitate the coif of the Pilgrims. It does a poor job of that. The coif was a closely-fitted, brimless garment. This bonnet is far more reminiscent of the clothing worn by Laura Ingalls Wilder than by Mary Chilton Winslow.
The bonnet is made of a relatively heavy cotton. and has a large back cap and a broad brim. The size and the straps for tying it in place mean that it can be adjusted for most adults. I also like this bonnet as it is okay for kids, too. Unless a girl has long hair, I would recommend filling the back section with sponge, foam, or bubble wrap. I know some folks like newspaper, but I find that makes a lot of noise. Also, if the head gets sweaty or damp, the ink can bleed onto the skin and fabric.
Because this is cotton, this can be easily dyed or colored on with fabric paints or jazzed up with markers. It is also a nice weight fabric for those who would choose to embroider a design on it. I have one that I've tea-stained a light brown and another tie-dyed in red and yellow.
Of course, dressing as a Pilgrim for elementary school or for fun at the Thanksgiving table is not for most folks about historic accuracy. It is about the nostalgia of recreating the look (however historically incorrect) that the Victorians taught us was Pilgrim. A child going to school in accurately attired will not fit in. You'll probably fare better at Thanksgiving dinner with this head covering.
I actually do like this bonnet quite a bit. It is comfortable and well made. I recommend against using it to represent Pilgrims. If it is the only thing available, it can be made to look a little more realistic by tucking the brim in and bobby-pinning the back flat so as to get rid of the poofiness. That said, you can add this one to the list of inaccuracies about the first Thanksgiving.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 4 Type of Toy: Other
Age Range of Child: Other
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