When women came to America from England, not only did they bring themselves, they brought with them their fashion style. Like us today, women needed articles of clothing for warmth and comfort but quickly forgot about these needs if fashion was involved. women’s clothing during this time was very different from today. Women had long skirts and their sleeves always covered their elbows. Underneath their dresses they had layers of petticoats. They also wore an apron over their dresses to protect their clothing. Women usually only had two sets of clothing, one for weekdays and one for Sundays. The biggest thing that separated these women from today was the use of corsets or “stays.” They used these for modesty and for support. A colonial woman’s gown consisted of two parts: a gown and a petticoat. The gown was made so the bodice and skirt joined together. The skirt opened in the middle to reveal the separate petticoat. Colonial women also wore caps. The caps protected their hair from everyday dirt and dust. A stylish cap was one with lace and ruffles and the style of the cap frequently changed. Women wore a
hat over the cap to protect their faces from the sun. A fashionable hat was one that was shallow, wide brimmed, and flat crowned. To top of their accessories they wore shoes. Shoes could be made of fabrics, leathers, etc. They would have been fastened by buckles, clasps, or even have ties.