How the West Was Worn

Chris Enss
The Globe Pequot Press (2005)
ISBN 0762735643
Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (6/06)

I had particular interest in reviewing “How the West Was Worn” because of doing family history research.  We have many photos of family members and I often wondered about the clothing – how was it made? What fabrics did they use? How did the fashions come to be without television and glossy magazines?  Enns answered many of my questions as I read her book with much interest, often looking at actual pictures to see if any of our ancestors were in there.

No different than now, the nineteenth century women were fashion conscious and often wore cumbersome and unrealistic clothing such a hoop skirts, bustles, and leg-o-mutton sleeves that required yards of costly fabric. Fabrics were cotton or linen for the summer, and wool during the winter. Children’s clothing was not fashioned for play but as small replicas of their parents. Ruffles were often seen on boys.

The “clothes made the man” and a well dressed man was certainly the talk of the town. Depending on the status or type of work, men dressed accordingly. The type of work they did was easily recognized by the type of clothing they wore.

Did you know that Andrew Johnson, before he became the President of the United States, was a tailor in Raleigh, North Carolina?  In 1827 he opened his own business where he designed a variation of the Prince Albert-style coat – double breasted and knee-length. A variation of his creation still exists today.

Enss gives an interesting account of all facets of fashion, from jewelry to hair styles, from under garments to military uniforms, from footwear to chevrons.  Anyone with interest in the 19th century era would find “How the West Was Worn” a great book to go through. Although Enss only touches briefly on each item, she gives a list of suggested reading for further knowledge. Highly recommended! 

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