Historical Costume: Quaker Plain Dress
Friday, August 24th, 2007I’m looking to make a period costume piece, preferably the 18th century time period. As always, I begin with research (and, sadly, often end there too).
From “Why do they dress that way?” by Stephen Scott
The Society of Friends (Quakers) – All through the 19th century a characteristic pattern of plain dress was recognized as distinctly Quaker. This consisted of a wide-brimmed hat, a standing collar coat and vest for light shawl, and a plain dress for women. Gray and brown were the predominate color. This distinctive costumer vanished rapidly in most areas after 1900.
In the Philadelphia Orthodox Yearly Meeting (arch Street) and among the Conservative (Wilburite) Yearly Meetings some were still wearing plain farb in the 1950s. A few dozen plain Quakers still survive, scattered mostly in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virigina, and Iowa. The Central early Meeting in Indian observes some conservative dress practices after the pattern of the holiness movement.
Bonnet Styles
From Dressed in Simplicity: Headgear: black hook over white cap often called the tunnel bonnet or “coal scuttle bonnet”. Quote: Later bonnets had a narrower brim meeting under the chin and with a soft crown, a Quaker version of the fashionable bonnet of the time. Caps were always worn under bonnets.
Colors:
Typically not black, perhaps grey, brown, sage greens, and cream etc.
Embellishments: None or limited, plainness can simply be the removal of embellishments such as lace and buttons to more modern styles. more on embellishments: The absence of adornments, such as ornamental buttons or lapels on the jacket (http://people.cryst.bbk.ac.uk/~ubcg09q/dmr/chap4.htm)
Website of information:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~quakers/dress.htm
Books for Further Reading:
Books of Discipline (1820s) b. David Hackett Fischer
Albion’s Seed by David Hackett Fischer
The Transformation of American Quakerism by Tom Hamm – background section
A Study of Quaker Dress by Gummery
Sally Wister’s journal (1777-1778)
All in One Dress and One Colour by Margaret Fell
Other
Amelia Gummere – noted Quaker costume historian
