Overshirts revisited: Suggested guidelines?

[James Hunt]

Overshirts were not uncommon during our period. In fact, given what I have seen in my limited experience with old west reenactors and NCOWS shooters, they may well be underserved in their representation today. Having said that, there perhaps should be some guidelines. The reader of this topic may do well to review a previous discussion that had much good information in it. I decided to begin a new topic due to the amount of images I had.

That previous post had sent me to further research and question my thoughts. Effort trying to find images of overshirts revealed some added information. Without sinking into another strident debate regarding the question: Did the overshirt retains its historical roots and protect the garment beneath or was the garment beneath protecting the overshirt? - Let us consider everything else and limit our discussion from the 1850's thru our period.

Merriam-Webster Internation Dictionary indicates the word overshirt, used to describe a distinct garment, began to be used somewhere between 1795 - 1805.

Brown in his Thoughts on Men's Shirts in America states their evolution began with the smock designed to be used to protect clothing beneath. By the early 19th century the term used in New England was frocks - a garment that became distinct in its own right achieving dress status by our period. At the time the term frock was developing, the term overshirt also developed to represent a garment distinct from the smock or frock.

The frock seemed to evolve into a split front garment, or coat, while the overshirt retained the pullover design of the smock. Brown shows an overshirt recovered from the steamboat Arabia and therefore with an 1856 date. It is square cut (shirts by then were starting to be more fitted or French cut), has a collar, and a small shield front with brass buttons. It has a large pocket sewn onto the shirt and quite low on it. For this reason, Brown suggests the shirt might have been designed to wear outside of the pants, the shirt is but 28 inches long (much shorter than a smock of the same period) at a time when shirts seemed also to be longer.

As time progresses, the sewn on pocket seems to be a common trait on overshirts. Although not unseen on shirts of the CW period and later, they seem more common on overshirts. The overshirt, at least during the CW and the beginning of our period, seems to be less fitted, and square cut. This changed with time and with the the popularity of firemans shirts and later bicycle or laced front shirts (a subset of overshirts).

The issue of whether overshirts should be worn outside or inside the pants should be addressed. With Browns comments and the dashing image of a Missouri guerrilla aside, I was hard pressed to find any image of one worn outside the pants during our period. At this point I would suggest that for our period, an overshirt seems to have always been worn inside the pants, with much longer smocks still worn on the outside and quite different in appearance.

With that let us consider some images, most of which you are probably familiar:

Below is probably the earliest image I have purportedly either just before or during the 49 gold rush period. Interestingly Brown includes this on the page discussing smocks. Note no pocket, square cut and drop shoulder, although a bit difficult to see appears tucked into the pants even at this early date.


About the same time period or slightly later, these are identified as two Californios. The weapon would suggest 1849 or later. Note a fairly blousey overshirt now tucked into the pants.


A common picture we all have seen circa 1850's. Note the fella in the middle with the rather colorful overshirt, tucked into his pants. Beginning to appear somewhat more fitted.


From Echos of Glory, a confederate cavalryman, I believe I can identify pockets on the overshirt but note - tucked in.


Also from Echos of glory, note the ribbon trim, pocket and tucked into pants.


And of course Jesse James, different from other images is the cut about the neck and decorative spots, note the large pocket. It is difficult to clearly state inside or outside pants.


All these images predate our period by a decade or more. But note common elements, pockets, somewhat bloussy, shirt or at least collar exposed. Use of cravat with shirt.

[James Hunt]

Let's take a look at some from our period now:

Popular image of a young buffalo Bill, note considerable amount of shirt with cravat exposed, pockets and tucked into pants.


Image of Texas lads, note exposure of shirt and tucked into pants. Interesting two tone effect there.


The toughest group of academics you will ever see circa 1872, a geology venture to the west from an eastern college. Note three if not all four fella's in front with overshirts. The two on left having pockets, ribbon trimming on one. Look close, fella on far right has what appears to be decorative cloth covered buttons on his shirt - imitating a shield front shirt without the shield? All tucked into pants.


Finally, and later in our period this classic image of Texas rangers circa 1887. Note fella on far right, he is wearing an overshirt. Note two pockets and very prominent stitching. But what about the guy sitting next to him. Overshirt? A bit hard to tell. Note two pockets of dissimilar size (this is not an uncommon feature, interesting if someone would put that on a shirt). Note the shield front shirt on the guy in the back row. Again, for fella's portraying the late 1880's, overshirts are appropriate but less smock like than their earlier cousins.

[James Hunt]

What should we take from this?

1/ Overshirts were common and worn throughout our period.
2/ Care should be taken when wearing an overshirt that it affects the period of time you choose to portray within our period.
3/ Pockets were common on overshirts.
4/ Overshirts were always pullover shirts.
5/ By the time of our period overshirts were less smock like, and appear more fitted.
6/ Overshirts during our period appear to have been tucked inside ones pants.

And remember, overshirts were made from a variety of material common to the period. There is no indication that material type is limited in anyway.

[Skeeter Lewis]

Great post, James. Thanks. I guess a fuller shirt could have doubled as an overshirt.(?)

[panhead pete]

Great Posts Jim,

The new pics help define what I will be making by adjusting my pattern.
I procured some natural/white linen and piping material.  I will post a photo when finished.

PnP

[James Hunt]

Skeeter: Indeed, one may have - particularly late in our period. However, overshirts were clearly distinct. For the most part and particularly early on, you can look at them and say "overshirt". Those shown seemed to have been made as overshirts. Pockets, pullover, OK to be open about the neck, were some of the distinctive features.

Pete: Look forward to seeing it.

[Hangtown Frye]

Excellent post Jim.  Lots of great photo's!  And indeed, I have to agree with you that far and away the most common fashion was (certainly by the Civil War period and after) to tuck the overshirt into the trousers.

I think that such overshirts are far too under-represented in the Cowboy Action sports, and hopefully this discussion will be a spur to encourage more fellows to go that route, at least as an alternative to the usual cotton shirt and vest combo we usually see. As is clear from the photo's that you posted, they were commonly worn side-by-side.  If someone wants to dress in their "shirtsleeves" and still be totally period, this is the way to go!

Cheers!

Gordon

[pony express]

A little off topic.....it appears that in James Hunt's third photo, one of those geologists appears to be wearing shoes with leggins. how common was that?

[St. George]

Not leggings - wool stockings...

You can see the ribbing.

That style of dress was common among lumberjacks and in timber country.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[panhead pete]

Well Gents,

I have two examples.  The blue Kersey wool is a keeper.  The white linen blend is a cross between a standard band collar and a vee neck.  I am still unsure of that one! 

Let the tomatoes fly!!!!

[panhead pete]

OOps,  I forgot to post the sepia version of the battle Shirt!

[Hangtown Frye]

Both look very nice to me, and I can see either of them as being something worn by one of the Missouri Border folks during the late unpleasantness.  I'd say keep them both!

Cheers!

Gordon

[panhead pete]

Thanks Hangtown,

I think the white will look good with my wool frock/sack coat, (It was a thrift store buy!).  With the Michigan weather it will work well in March/ April and again in September/ October! 

Happy Trails,

Panhead

[James Hunt]

Nice, nice work Panhead Pete. The white one bears similarity of sorts to that worn by that Texan shown above. Would seem to work well for a 1868 - 1872 impression. It is interesting that with those deep pockets and tucked in they really extend to the waistband, perhaps below it. But that is how they are shown. Interesting bit of experimental archeology. Good work Pete.

[panhead pete]

Thanks James,

It will work well with the Spencer and the 72 Navies.  May even try cap n ball??!!  I kind of like the cravat with the shirt and overshirt together!  I made the cravat out of some scrap.  I will have to get some nice dark silk and find some patterns or at least a rough sketch of one.  By the way, I ordered "Thoughts on Men's Shirts".  Still waiting for it and the correct buttons to arrive.

Happy Trails,

PhP
PS,
How's the remuda?

[Hangtown Frye]

I've always liked the look of an overshirt with a nice cotton shirt under it, complete with tie or cravat.  It definitely brings your entire image back in time, since it's not something that you would ever see in a TV Western or on the street (or often at a CAS shoot, either!) However, it was common as dirt to do in the 1850's-70's. And it definitely doesn't scream "SASS"! 

Also, a Spencer and a pair of Caplock Colts or Remingtons will really put you in the running for "Most Authentic" with those shirts. It's always nice to see folks doing stuff that is based on 19th Century reality, rather than 20th Century fantasy.

Cheers!

Gordon

[Ima Sure Shot]

Very nice.   I found reference to "Guerrilla Shirt" in Quantrill of Missouri: the Man, the Myth the Solider"  by Paul. R. Peterson. On pg 91 he says, "...longwaisted, gathered at the waist with either pistol or knife belt.   Where a collar would have been, many adoring mothers and sweethearts added patterns and designs of the indivudals choosing.   The shirts were also highly functional and practical.  Designed for close pistol combat on horseback they were made large enough to be non binding. The two large breast pockets were sewed at an angle, without pocket flaps, so the wearer could extract or dispose of extra pistol cylinders without diffculty[/b]", (my emphsis, I knew I read that someplace and could document it.) Also on pg 247 "...distinctive apparel called guerrilla shirt."  On page 91 the author quotes Hampton Watts," the prescribed uiform was a black flet hat, the left brim of which was cocked and fastened at crown by gold or silver crescent pin which was suspended by a small cross, this pin also held in place a large black plume, which hung gracefully over the back rim; a black velvet overshirt, the breast cut'V' shaped and embroidered in colored flowers."(my emphsis). Also in reading about Quantrill and Guerrilla Warfare, I ran across and read; " Guerrilla Operations in the Civil War Assessing Compound Warfare During Prices Raid AThesis presented to Faculty of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Military Art and Science Military History" by Dale E. Davis, Maj USA B.S. Murrary State University, Murrary Kentucky, 1990 on pg 22,"...Though usually dressed in whatever clothing was available, most guerillas wore a 'guerrilla shirt' worn over a civilian shirt.  The guerrilla shirt was a loose fitting blouse made of home spun with low cut neckline and a big deep pocket for holding extra cylinders of ammunition for their revolvers."(I knew I read that somewhere and could document )  two published references for materials used in a guerrilla shirt, if one were an ex guerilla. Celeste

[panhead pete]

Howdy Ima,

Great references!  Thanks for posting them.  Googling only got me so far.  I really need to spend some time at the library. 

Happy Trails,

Panhead Pete

[Books OToole]

In regards to changing cylinders while on horse back:

One hand for the reins.
One hand for the pistol grip;
One hand for the barrel.
One hand for the empty cylinder;
One hand for the loaded cylinder.                    [A Remington would be a little easier.]

Even Shiva would be challenged.

Books

[Mogorilla]

Much easier to have a brace of colts.    I have a question about the shirts.  If they are tucked into the pants, where the devil are their braces?   Without suspenders, since I am all front and no back, I would be creating quite a ruckus when my drawers fell to my boots