Eighteenth-Century Williamsburg Virginia: Fashion, Industry, and Status

COLLEGE OF DUPAGE

Eighteenth-Century Williamsburg Virginia: Fashion, Industry, and

Status Focus on the Late 17th and 18th Century

2,846 words

Nicole Cyrier

12/10/2011

Eighteenth-Century Williamsburg Virginia: Fashion, Industry, and Status

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by: Nicole Cyrier

(Archeology 1120)

Abstract

Presentation and its perception hold the highest priority in eighteenth-century, colonial

America, with emphasis on the powerful town of Williamsburg, Virginia. Fashion in 1600-

l780’s, clearly represents the status and occupation of individuals in that society. Aspects of

clothing, such as: fabric, materials, and aesthetic appeal all of which can give clues to the past

existence of our colonial culture. Learned social behaviors, trade, and industry developed the

evolution of fashion and dictated money flow. I believe to better understand societies of the past,

it is ideal to focus on the individual their niche in the Williamsburg community by using their

clothing to determine their past. I will use my method of classification to understand individuals

of the past through: status, perception, and structure. Further research explained in this essay can

offer theories to many questions. Moreover, to entirely visualize the full aspects of historic

Williamsburg, looking at where these materials came from can paint a richer image into the past.


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Overview

Clothes make the man, but why? In 18th

century Williamsburg, similar to today’s society,

costume construction can identify not only the size and shape (or desired shape) of a person, but

it can lead to a description of their lifestyle. Deciphering material artifacts more closely, can

explain the path of diffusion regarding ideas and design. Dyes and print patterns determine

where and how the prints were created. Archeological testing verifies the time and location of the

textile’s life. I use and discuss my model of research, based on: status, perception, and structure,

to understand the individual’s place in society.

Setting: Location, Time, and Expansion

During the 17th

and 18th

century, an era noted for: colonization, trade, and power, there

were many areas of high priority. Prior to Brittan’s extensive colonization along the Virginian

cost, Great Brittan made great effort to settle in Jamestown, in 1607 (The Colonial Williamsburg

Foundation, 1998). Jamestown is an area composed primarily of swamps, that enhanced the

spread of disease which claimed many lives (Pettit, 1970). Previous knowledge gained from

Jamestown, allowed for the

British to seek an

environment that could

properly maintain a new

settlement; this would

eventually lead to the great

success at Williamsburg,

Virginia.

Due to the desirable

location of Williamsburg, it

became a central point of

power for the rulers of

England, in the 18th

century. As noted by the

red star in Figure 1,

Williamsburg is positioned

near the coast of Virginia on

the Atlantic Ocean. Sitting on the latitude 37 degrees North and the longitude of 76 degrees West

(Google Inc., 2011), creates a moist environment that has an extended growing season and

bearable winters (The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, 1998).

Conditions in Virginia are favorable for cultivating plentiful crops yields of tobacco,

cotton, corn and lumber. Throughout the late 1600-1810’s, Great Britain depended greatly on

industry for economic stability. Britain’s nearly constant warfare proved extremely costly, such

as, the Seven Year War from 1756 to1763. For Britain, the price of war weakened advances into

Figure 1—The United States Coast: focus on Virginia (Google Inc., 2011)


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other lands; therefore, it was exceedingly important to focus on economic techniques based on

industry. Not only was industry fashionable, it was also a means in which to create a world-wide

market as well as increase sovereignty, as notably written in A Land of Liberty?, “…production

consumers often bought what they needed—with specialized market-orientated manufacturing

industry a commonplace…” (Hoppit, 2000).

Along with these monetary disappointments, Brittan built up an unquenchable thirst for

booming business, in which they exploited their natural resources. This included land which was

used for industrial houses (Hoppit, 2000). In order to continue being known as a world power

they would need to seek new lands, in which to expand their resources for political and monetary

purposes. Williamsburg provided resources like land, old hard woods, people, and other cash

crops which gave Brittan both economic and political leverage (The Colonial Williamsburg

Foundation, 1998: 11-12).

Here rests the foundation

of British colonists in Virginia,

built upon fear, power, stress,

and the desire for expansion

(The Colonial Williamsburg

Foundation, 1998). Trade, as it

will be discussed, is a significant

part of the evolution of the

colonists of Williamsburg. Since

the significance of trade and

domination were significant to

the founders of Virginian

colonies, it would be portrayed

through material culture—

specifically researched: clothing.

Society and Culture

As an extension of the British Kingdom, Williamsburg was expected to display the

English life (Hoffman, Jacks, & Le, 2002). Previously, in the English Empire, nobility always

stood out from the peasants. In the 1600-1700’s it was fashionable to wear altered clothing,

creating something new.

Status awareness in the 1600-1780’s continued into the way individuals would address

others with their affiliated title. For example, if a man was speaking to his brother, he could say

something like, ‘I am glad to see you, brother.’ Manners were quite important, a young George

Washington listed what was expected of the young in the 17th

century New World colonies, in a

book known as, “Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour [Sic] in Company and Conversation: a

Book of Etiquette.” It was incredibly important for children to be educated in the way they

Figure 2--Yorktown.

(National Park Service U.S. Department of Interrior, 2011)


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should be conducting their lives, if

they were to be a person of wealth, as

this was the pathway to success.

Even so, comics and jokes

were actually respected art forms.

Comics and Jokes were common place

in the coffee house of Williamsburg,

which was one of the wealthiest places

for men to socialize and talk politics.

It was noted that archaeologists have

found comedic etchings, like in Figure

3, which were normally used as

political or social satires. Comics were

used to lighten the mood, or to bring

about a new topic of discussion

(Baumgarten, Eighteenth-Century

Clothing at Williamsburg, 1986).

During the 17th

and 18th

centuries, there was an incredible interest in music and colors. Fashion and color was redefined

by the King and Queen, along with, new dyes from other trade locations such as India. Since

Williamsburg was a town of stratified status, all actions and choices were molded by monetary

position. For example, only wealthy citizens or political leaders would be worthy of entry into

the palace ballroom; this is simply because there will be extensive elegant dance, such as the

minuet (which can only be performed by those who were trained). During my personal

experience in Colonial Williamsburg, a historian even mentioned to me how dances were

performed by class, ‘lowest rank to the richest’.

Science and

invention greatly impacted

the development of the

British Empire, including

Williamsburg and other

surrounding towns like

Yorktown. These

developments impacted the

chemical technology of dyes

and colors, and new large

scale looms and instruments

like harpsichord (The

Colonial Williamsburg

Foundation, 1998). Along

with this aspect, came the

great interest with lively

colors. According to

Williamsburg Decorating

With Style, on page 25,

Figure 4—1775 John Singleton Copley’s, “Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Izard (Alice Delancey)”

(Copley, 1775).

Figure 3— “A man building a wig on to the head of a woman on a kind of

scaffolding; another woman wearing a tall wig looks on,"

(Rapine, 18th Century).


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“…vivid verdigris paint, for instance, is a powerful statement of fashion, fancy, and finances on

the part of Thomas Everard, a wealthy leader of the community.”

A research group studied the differences between statuses from the evolving market since

the 1500’s, and recognized pattern changes in households. It states, “Faster population growth by

itself could have lowered real wages, raised real land rents, raised the price of staple foods

relative to luxuries, and raised real inequality…” (Hoffman, Jacks, & Le, 2002). Hoffman’s

analysis of the research, explains how the gaps in the levels of affluence were greatly affected by

population growth throughout Great Britain and other European countries. With a greater amount

of people in existing cities, this increased demand and supply declined causing higher renting

fees. Not to mention, food and other raw materials were expensive and having to be transported

for economic reasons. This meant that any extra delicacies were expensive and sported one’s

prestige in the society.

Trade Documentation

Detailed historical documents, of Great Britain’s economic trade flow, display the

importance of North America in Britain’s expansion. Table 1 focus primarily on columns under:

cotton textiles, other textiles, agriculture, tropical raw materials; the important numbers and

countries of interest are highlighted for easier use. The table describes a world that is thirsting for

resources, or more accurately it is the numerical display of politically diffused materials. Using

Table 1, one can identify a clear numerical difference on where goods were imported and

exported. I would like to identify the abbreviations: ROW is Rest of World, GB is Great Britain,

and NAM stands for North American Materials. There is a significant exportation from the rest

of the world to Great Britain, with agriculture, cotton, and raw materials ranging from, “0.697-

2.729 million British pounds” (Clark, O'Rourke, & Taylor, 2008). There were plenty of imports

from other countries that are headed to Great Britain. Seeking other lands would benefit them for

1….

2….

3….

4…

5….

A B C D

Table 1— (Clark, O'Rourke, & Taylor, 2008)


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a larger economy, and new resources that the English Empire lacked. Rows, noted by red

numbers, signify materials imported to Britain and blue numbers represent British exports. In

column “D”, Britain was not exporting any raw materials. In other words, England is not

producing enough agriculture to export. As stated on page 7, in “Made in America? The New

World, the Old, and the Industrial Revolution”,

A third point to note is that in the 1760s, imports of tropical

raw materials came predominantly from the rest of the world rather

than from North America, while imports of tropical food came

predominantly from North America.

This means, that cash crops were being grown and raised in Virginia, making it a very

resourceful plot of land. Great Britain could depend on it for distribution of materials and as a

port for trading (Pettit, 1970). Using coordinates: 2(A, B), and 4(A, B) it is evident that Britain

does export cotton and textiles (Clark, O'Rourke, & Taylor, 2008). Great Britain also had means

for manufacturing and paying for cheaper labor. Other regions were used for physical labor, and

factory houses in England were used to create fabric that would be sent to colonies (Hoppit,

2000). This process was further fuelled by intense competition with the Dutch and French trade

companies (Niel, 2005). To keep up, Britain concentrated their trading with India.

Material Design and Status Awareness

Similar to the identity revealed by a fingerprint, clothing can express the story of the

individual and their outside influences from a personal perspective. From my research, I created

a system for classification based on indicative responses and aesthetic qualities. Observing

recovered artifacts through: status, perception, and physical structure can best establish a story of

the individual from their clothing remains. Baumgarten said on page 5, “Artifacts may come

from many sources, including auctions, antique shops and dealers, internet auction sites and

private individuals, many of whom donate important family possessions to ensure their

preservation,” (Baumgarten, What Clothes Reveal, 2002). As I mentioned above, examining

composition, design, and cut style, would describe the person who once wore the garment.

With my model in mind, I would funnel various questions and theories, about these

treasures, through my simple clothing classification. Essentially, my basic three tier process

directs research to reveal specifics about individuals. Scholars can combine all relative relics,

and their results to ultimately convey a broader view of the 1600-1700 societies, as a whole.

Imagine each separate historic piece as a silk strand; every inch of this silk is like a small point

of information. Different colored silk symbolizes separate clothing artifacts. Many different

colors of silk are needed to create a beautiful tapestry; this drapery, composed of archaeological

evidence, illustrates a broad community level representation of Williamsburg, from centuries

ago.


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Status

In regards to my levels of classification, I would like to begin with Status. Many scholars

agree that the majority of the articles actually found are that of the upper class; people tend to

“…favor the beautiful and the unusual,” (Baumgarten, What Clothes Reveal, 2002). Colors,

textures, and material are the key aspects to defining status. As stated earlier, the incomes of

wealthy and poor were divided by a great gap; this “gap” would be expressed in clothing in

obvious ways. Documents display that more expensive materials were a product of trade and fine

materials: silk from China and India, as well as dyes from other lands added to cost (Pettit,

1970). I was particularly interested in Williamsburg’s historic patterns and their heritage.

Using relative dating, based on visual design, I was able to decide that these dated and

historic pieces had distinctive shared characteristics and shapes they identified with each other,

such as: flowery embroidery, similar colors, and unique patterns. These theories were confirmed

upon trade research, and British historic clothes sampling, along with more validation from the

Victoria & Albert Museum.

In clockwise rotation: Figure 5-- 1755; altered 1770 (Crews, 1997-98).

Figure 6—(top right) cotton (chintz) Coromandel Coast, (Indian Florals, 2009).

Figure 7—(bottom right): cotton embroidered with silk thread dated: early 18th Century, (Indian Florals, 2009).

Additionally to chintz patterns, there was a cheaper format for creating design: block

printing. England used this technology for quite some time, until the technological development

of machine like printing in the 1785, called the power loom. Ideas, like the power loom, were on

constant development and textiles can be marked by year, from the birth of these new inventions

(Pettit, 1970). Factory printed patterns were cheaper and usually printed on cotton, for

tradesmen or the working class. Furthermore, the cheaper cotton was most definitely used for

slaves. As for finer goods like: silks, taffeta, and other eye-catching materials, were extremely


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expensive and reserved for high society (Baumgarten, Eighteenth-Century Clothing at

Williamsburg, 1986).

Material fibers of different textile can be studied under a microscope, to identify where

the fibers come from; this is a basic step in material recognition (Baumgarten, What Clothes

Reveal, 2002). Subtle evidence can also describe where and when the material came from. For

example, around 1774-1811, the English created a law that mandated that any exported material

going to the colonies in North America, must be woven with three blue threads to help with

collecting drawbacks or refunds by the merchants who sold them (Baumgarten, What Clothes

Reveal, 2002). Moreover, dyes and print patterns also determined where articles may have come

from, or where ideas were diffused through trade. Chemical analysis determines the types of

natural or non-natural matter derived from. In many cases, it proved to be from India and China,

primarily (Pettit, 1970), (Niel, 2005). More closely, it was understood that indigo, was a dye that

was increasingly used by the Europeans via trade. Conclusively, it shows where material is from

and describes the status in society able to purchase the material.

Perception

Similar to present day, clothing defines a person.

It describes who they are and where they are capable of

spending money (status). In today’s culture, there are

shows dedicated to creating an improved appearance to

increase respectability as well as professionalism.

Looking back to Williamsburg, images and design

patterns/ blocks (or artifacts) preserved from the past

help to identify what they found appealing.

Usually, one’s outfit was based on frivolity or

necessity. Tradesmen or women would lack the

expenses needed to buy a gown or three-piece suit for

fancy gatherings (Baumgarten & Watson, Costume

Close-Up Clothing Construction and Pattern 1750-1790,

1999). Fashion always trumps usefulness; for example,

if it’s snowing, fashion comes before warmth.

However, it was important to wear the latest

fashions; if possible, this would give the impression that

a person wearing the latest trend comes from plenty of

money, making you a very intriguing man or women for

suitors. If a person was dressed well enough, it would

give the appearance that they have the money for good

health, and is likely to have a standing position in the

society. Instead of simply telling others in town that they come from great fortune, they wear that

statement. “His clothes reveal his wealth and leisure in a much more socially acceptable way,”

(Baumgarten, What Clothes Reveal, 2002: 56). Everyone strives to be opulent, but the large

economic gaps intensify the clearity of wealth.

Figure 9—Personal photograph, Colonial Williamsburg, Va.

2011: Nicole Cyrier.


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Structure

Consistently throughout the 1600-1780’s, clothing shape had much to do with proper

posture. At the time, the cut and style of a coat or a gown defined the philosophical identiy of

soceity as a whole. Being a rational culture, they identified with angular structures and prefered

clothing that forced a specific posture. The colony cut their clothes to a pattern, and the milliners

altered it to the size of the body that would be wearing it. The particular shape of clothing and

pattern would be unique for particular trades, or means of use. Breeches that would be worn for

horseriding would be quite different than what belongs to an upscale suit.

Linda Baumgarten’s Model

Baumgarten, a verterin antique museum cureator for Colonial Williamsburg Foundation,

has created her own model for viewing clothing. She bases it on who made it, who purchased it,

and who saved the garments (Baumgarten, What Clothes Reveal, 2002, p. vii). After reading and

using her many books, I have found her examples and studies paint a vivid picture that describes

the past. However, her means of viewing the artifacts may be missing more personal qualities

that my idea might lead to. I believe it is important to focus more individually on the aspects of

clothing to create an ultimate view of a person, their life, and how they lived it: essential to

learning about the past, and its recreation. To attempt a restoration of these 18th

century

costumes, it is best to view it from a personal point of view, verses the community as a whole.

Dénouement

In conclusion, Williamsburg Virginia is a land born from exploration and expansion,

which creates the historic society that we emulate today. Through archaeology, classification

about an individual can be recovered and proven in a scientific format, allowing it to be used in

future research. Identifying the individual can be simply defined by understanding: status,

perception, and structure. Material culture from Williamsburg, during the 1600-1700’s acts as a

fingerprint; it expresses a personal story of an individual and what influenced their existence.


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