Western Fur Trade

Observations on Western Fur trade outfitting: 

       A newcomer ~ tender foot to the mountains might be clothed in shirt and trousers of cotton or linen but probably most often wool, in solid, natural colors, off-white, blue or red.  Large prints and striped calico were also available.   Clothing made of fabric was popular amongst the experienced mountain men, and shows up in moderate quantities on the supply lists of goods taken to rendezvous.  Fabrics, although comfortable, were not durable under the hard usage in the mountains, and replacement was not possible except at rendezvous.  Clothing made of animal skins replaced fabric clothing as those wore out.  Buckskin clothing was generally patterned after White styles, rather than Indian styles. Leather garments, although cold in the winter and hot in the summer had the advantage in that it was extremely durable and wore like iron, provided protection from mosquitoes and other biting insects, as well as from thorns and brambles.  Leather also had the advantage in that the raw materials were available in the wilderness, or finished clothing could easily be obtained by trading with Indians.   Trousers of the 1820’s and 1830’s were high-waisted, and full in the hips and seat.  There were three basic kinds of legs: the stove pipe cut, tapered cut to a small ankle, or cut to fit closely to the leg.  Belts were not used to secure trousers at this time, but rather suspenders, ties or cinches.  Alfred Jacob Miller shows trouser styles which include both the fall-front and fly type closure.  Mountain men depicted by Miller mostly wear buckskin trousers or pants, although a few are clearly wearing pants made of fabric, mostly in blue in color.  Belts were used to carry weapons such as sheath knives, belt axes, and perhaps a pistol.  Belts were generally not wider than 2 inches, and were left simple, without tacks, or rivets.  Large woven sashes might be similarly used.  Belts were not used during this period for suspending pants.  Buckles when visible are generally worn to the side.  Knife Sheaths, knives were kept in simple sheaths at the back,front or sides.  Quillwork or beading is not seen in any of Millers pictures.  At most decoration is limited to a single row of tacks along the blade edge of the sheath.  Most sheaths do not have a belt slot, but are simply thrust through the belt.  Miller does show at least one sheath with a belt slot, and others that have a thong or loop to secure them to the belt.  Shirts used by the Western fur trapper would have been a simple pullover design with a large body and loose fitting sleeves.  Solid colors, especially red, but including blue, green and yellow were favorites.  Miller also shows light colored, widely-spaced prints.  Shirts were a popular trade item at rendezvous and hundreds might have been taken to the mountains in any given year. Hunting Coats many of the Mountain Men shown by Miller are wearing a leather, open-front, hunting coat.  These coats are elaborately fringed along the shoulders, sleeves, fronts and bottoms.  They range in length from mid-thigh to knee, and are generally shown with well fitted sleeves and collars.  The coats do not have buttons, but close using ties.  Capote for cool and cold weather the Mountain Man would wear a capote.  A capote is a long coat of simple design often with a hood.  It was made from wool blankets, or wool blanket material which could be cut and assembled in the mountains.  Capotes were also available for trade at rendezvous and at the posts.  The capote dates back to at least the early 1700’s and was popular to at least the 1870’s.  Although designed as a coat, the capote could also be used as an extra blanket for sleeping during cold weather.  The capote alone is warm and comfortable, however, was large and loose enough that it could be worn over multiple layers of winter clothing.  Blanket coats shown by Miller are commonly blue, blue-grey or green in color. As boots or brogans wore out they were replaced by moccasins.  Some men of the period, while outfitting in St. Louis are reported to have traded their boots for moccasins without waiting for them to wear out.  There are nearly as many moccasin styles as there are Indian tribes.  Moccasins drawn by Miller are all of a soft-soled, pucker-vamp style as shown in the painting the "Trappers".  .  Hats worn by the Mountain Men were wide, flat brimmed felt styles with a low crown.  Most hats shown by Miller are twisted and bent from hard use.  Felt hats are mostly light colored, off-white, tan or grey.  Hat bands are simple cord, strap or ribbon.  Quill or beadwork on hats or hat bands is not shown on any of Millers paintings.  Hats are often decorated with feathers or tails and a clay pipe is often held in the hatband.  Miller describes a kind of hunters hood made by the men themselves to replace felt hats  lost or worn out.  These hoods appear to be made from blanket material or leather.  Many are constructed with "ears" and a flap reaching down to the shoulders, while others are of a shape defying description.   Hat fashions changed by the beginning of the 1850's.  Kurz shows many hats with high crowns, also a fabric hat with a leather bill.   

Alfred Jacob Miller : references  

Observations and research by Crow  2017 revision