Vaquero Pants??

[Whiskey Creek Adams]

I am trying to put together a Vaquero outfit for CAS dinners/social events. I have everything I need now except for the pants. I have searched and searched but have found none except for a few that are extremely expensive ($100-200 range), or a very limited selection of less expensive ones which are not available in my size, or all leather, which I do not want.

Here is what I'm thinking about. Take a pair of suitable, period correct pants, sew a "leather" stripe down the outside seams and add conchos to those strips.

I understand the mechanics/process of doing this, but I am going to need some sort of thin "leather" that will withstand hand washing and when dry return to its original color and retain its flexibility/suppleness. Any recommendations would be appreciated. I'm thinking Garment leather??

[Major 2]

  http://www.hamiltondrygoods.com/Vacaro.htm

There is thread started by WaddWatsonEllis where Doc Bob offered the above link

[JD Alan]

We have a shooter who recently put together a Vaquero outfit, and he ordered the jacket, pants, and even a vest from a Mariachi supply store. It's black with a white design (Embroidery I believe) and it looks really sharp. No leather at all.     

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi Major 2 and Whiskey Creek Adams,

Boy, can I give some information here ....

Hamilton Dry Goods is only liquidizing the pants they have on hand ... I do not think this has been a big seller for them ... in fact, probably more of a disappointment ... and they have them at a liquidizing price.

The good news is that they are made of the same tan cloth that a Vaquero Jacket is being made by Sacramento City Dry Goods ...

http://www.saccitydrygoods.com/

Now for some unsolicited advice. In any kind of warm weather, the Californios would wear these open to the knee, and an ankle length stove pipe pair of drawers were worn over their boots (although out here they wore something of a cross between a Roper and an over-the-ankle moccasin). And the higher social class the wearer was, the more intricate more possibility that the bottom of the 'stovepipe' (where it showed) would be of a lace or embroidery.

If you are plan on wearing these to a formal dinner type of setting, these would normally be worn without a vest, and a sash of brightly contrasting material would be wrapped about the waist. The color for a formal situation would be a somber black or deep navy with gold embroidery.

If worn during the day for work or on a cross country trip the tan that is offered would be more the norm.

Another piece of the costume is a knife that Mexicans and Californios (two separate cultures to be sure) that would be worn on a belt, sash or tucked in the Botas de Alas (a type of leather legging that was worn like cowboys would wear chaps, but not a tnight during a formal occaision).

Crazy Crowe has a good and inexpensive copy of the Belduque (shown below):

http://www.crazycrow.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CCTP&Product_Code=4926-012-002&Category_Code=

If you are still with me and your eyes haven't glazed over yet, here is the discussion that was mentioned by Major 2 ....

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,28287.0.html

Best of luck with getting your kit together ... if you have any other questions, my email address is on my profile .... *S*

[GunClick Rick]

 Donet forgeet jour steeenking badje.. Jou weel look mawvalous

[Whiskey Creek Adams]

Thanks guys.

....Ellis. I have that same jacket, only in a darker color, my wife is currently sewing me up a sash with gold trim, I have made a 3" tooled belt with silver conchos and large buckle to wear over the sash, have the knife, have the Grandee hat, have the Botas de Alis, but don't have any da*n pants.

I contacted Hamilton Dry Goods several weeks ago and they do not have any of the pants you pictured in my size. They have one pair in the Cherry Stripe, but I don't like them. They also have a new style, in dark brown with a riding seat, but I don't like them either.

I will contact Sacramento Dry Goods tomorrow and see if they have any, but I'm not "holding my breath". Thanks for that link

This is why I'm trying to come up with some ideas of my own.  I can't even find a Vaquero Style Pants Pattern.  I may have to go with a nice pair of period pants with a simple cloth stripe sewn down the outside seam.

JD, thanks but Mariachi pants are, well, just that, Mariachi.  I'm trying to get a late Colonial/Early Territorial, NM "Grandee" look.

From what I have been able to find out from reading and visits to Santa Fe museums the NM style was slightly different than the Californio style in that the NM style had a Native American influence, hence a stripped sash, Botas, and belt with conchos.

[Major 2]

I apologize..I did not realize Hamilton Dry Goods was selling out...
 

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Major 2,

No appology necessary ... they are just starting their closeout of the Vaquero pants, and they have most sizes ... reduced to about $40.00 ... so it is a great sale with a lot of choice.

I bought an extra pair just to cut apart and use as a template.... *S*

[GunClick Rick]

Do they run pretty much on size or run big or smaller?Pretty good price for them britches.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Rick,

I dunno about sizing ... but ask me on Friday when mine come in and I will tell you. My guess is that they are a Frontier Pants that someone just put the buttons and buttonholes in the side ... the  suspender buttons and swallowtail back (which would not be on Calzoneras) look like a standard Frontier Pant was taken and the side seam split, and buttons and button holes placed in the seam.

I bought a pair of the 'cherry' striped pants just to use as a template so that a local tailor could make me some calaveras ... so I am figuring I can send the pants to the same people who make the Vaquero Jackets and have some made to match the jacket out of the same material that they are making the jackets out of.

Sacramento City Dry Goods said that they had had good response in the past from this company doing the Vaquero Jackets doing custom jobs, so hey! It could happen!

[GunClick Rick]

Tell ya what,120 is a heck of a good price for those jackets.

[Whiskey Creek Adams]

...Ellis & Rick:

If I'm not mistaken the jacket is made by Classic Old West Styles, in El Paso (check the label).

http://www.cows.com/2.0/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=10&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=55

They do not retail however, so you would probably have to go through Sacramento Dry Goods or Crazy Horse West.

http://www.crazyhorsewest.com/western-clothes.aspx?CategoryID=163

...Ellis, please let me know if you go through with this and if they are willing to make pants for you.  BTW I agree with your assessment on the pants from Hamilton Dry Goods.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi,

I have a huge thread under the Historical Forum for 'What gear would an 1860 Californio carrty with him?'

There are nine pages of discussion on Vaquero Jackets, Calzoneras, Belduques and more.

I was blessed with a group of extremely knowledgeable people who gave me invaluable information about the Californios.

Even 'though you are aiming more at the Southwest, the similarities are so many that you might find the thread very valuable.

For evening wear, though, you would be looking at a very dark navy or black with possibly gold, silver, or black embroi
dery.

Although not mentioned in the website catalog, Northwest Traders, (http://www.nwtrader.com/, ph# 937-767-9244) makes them on an individual basis. When I talked to him he was interested in doing matching Calzoneras if he had a pattern).

I was given a pic of a formal fandango on the historical thread in question ... I'll try to reproduce it here ....

BTW, the web address for the thread in discussion is;

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,28287.30.html

The full size pic is toward the center of the page, as well as a pic of a Northwest Traders Vaquero Jacket.

[ChuckBurrows]

Try Tombstone Outfitters for vaquero pants pattern - they had them on closeout a while ago.
Yep still have them for $3.00
http://www.tombstoneoutfitters.com/store/patterns4.htm
This is the pattern that buttons only up to the the thigh - can be easily adjusted to button all the way up.......

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Chuck Burrrows,

Thanks for the heads up!

I now have two patterns ordered; one for me to send to whoever will make them for me, and one to keep in reserve   *S*