Clothing in 1636 Rhode Island: Early Settler Attire

Dress in Roger Williams' Providence Plantations

In 1636, Rhode Island's European settlers (mostly English Puritans, Baptists, Quakers) wore clothing reflecting late Jacobean/early Caroline English styles, adapted for frontier practicality.

Men's Wear

• Doublet: Fitted, waist-length jacket (wool, linen, leather). Buttons down front. Slashed sleeves sometimes.
• Breeches: Knee-length, full at hip (trunk hose), gathered at knee. Wool, leather, or linen.
• Shirt: Knee-length, loose, white linen/cotton. Full sleeves, gathered at cuff. Collar: falling band (plain) or ruff (formal/older).
• Jerkins: Sleeveless leather/wool jacket over doublet (work/weather).
• Falling Band / Ruff: Transition period—ruffs fading, falling lace/linen bands rising.
• Stockings/Hose: Knitted wool, linen, or silk (wealthy). Held by garters.
• Footwear: Latchet shoes (leather, tied), startups (ankle boots), heavy boots for labor.
• Hat: Wide-brim felt (beaver, wool)—crowned, sugarloaf, or flat. Monmouth caps (knit) for work.
• Cloak/Cape: Wool, full or half-circle, for travel/weather.

Women's Wear

• Shift/Chemise: Linen, calf-length, long sleeves, low neck. Base layer.
• Stays (Corset): Boned (reed, whalebone), front-laced. Shaped torso, supported bust.
• Petticoats: 1–3 wool/linen skirts for warmth/shape.
• Gown/Waistcoat: Fitted bodice + attached skirt (wool, linsey-woolsey). Waistline high-ish. Sleeves: fitted or paned.
• Apron: Linen/wool, essential for work. White (best), colored (daily).
• Coif / Cap: Linen, close-fitting, covers hair. Married women always covered.
• Hat/Hood: Felt hat over coif; wool hood for cold.
• Footwear: Latchet shoes, startups.
• Outerwear: Waistcoat, cloak, safeguard (overskirt for mud).

Puritan/Quaker Simplicity

Rhode Island's religious dissenters favored plainness: undyed wool (gray, brown, russet), minimal lace/trim, no slashing, modest cuts. Bright colors, silk, velvet reserved for gentry/elders.

Materials & Production

• Home-produced: Flax → linen; sheep → wool; spun, woven, sewn at home.
• Imported: Finer cloth, dyes, hardware (buttons, hooks) from England/Netherlands.
• Leather: Local tanning (deer, cow).

Native American Context

Narragansett & Wampanoag wore deerskin mantles, leggings, breechcloths, moccasins—adapted seasonally. Trade goods (wool blankets, shirts, knives) integrated over time.