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Common Sailor Clothes


JohnnyTarr

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Ok everytime I look for sailors clothes I can find most stuff on what the captains wore. I would like to do a more common sailor look. After all there were more sailors than captains right? But to make the outfit I would need pictures. Pictures of yourselves or from books would be great.

Git up of your asses, set up those glasses I'm drinking this place dry.

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Johnny, you really need to check out Foxe's site:

Period Seaman Pictures

And since you asked about pictures of ourselves as well, here's my husband in our Slops Contract Jacket and ticken breeches:

sailors%20jacket%20240.jpg

We sell the ready-made clothing as well as the patterns if you want to make it yourself.

Kass

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Absolutely! Did you look at the pictures on Foxe's site, Johnny? This short type of jacket was so particular to sailors that it became known as a "sailor's jacket" (or more precisely, "the short jackets worn by seamen").

The British Navy's Admiralty Slop Contracts from 1690 through 1740 provide specs for tailors to make these jackets for the common sailor. So they were very common.

It's thought that they were invented to avoid the wide skirts and large cuffs of the frock coats that were becoming popular for wear at all levels of society in the early 18th century. They sure are comfortable, warm, and functional.

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Yes I have looked at her site. I have heard of the sailors jacket before, I mean I did spend three years in the Navy. I guess that it just looked to be more of a Captains coat too me. So the Captains were longer and more decrotive and had pockets? So much seems to have been lost to me I just don't know where to look for this information yet. I have got to get better at researching.

Git up of your asses, set up those glasses I'm drinking this place dry.

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Mr. Foxe's site is really the best collection of period pictures of seaman's clothing on the internet. You couldn't do better than to start there with your search.

Captains (and other officers) had their own garments made by a tailor, so they generally wore the fashions of the day. The common sailors had their clothing issued to them, so there clothing was very uniform and simple.

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Oh and Johnny, this is a picture of a simple frock coat, waistcoat and breeches combination:

frock%20coat1.jpg

This isn't the fancy, high-end version. It's really the simplest version of the outfit without any accoutrements or trimmings. But this is what your officers would have been wearing.

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No need to PM. That particular frock coat starts at $285. That gets you a 100% wool gabardine (tropical weight for summer wear) frock coat lined with linen and fastened with pewter buttons and machine-made buttonholes. The cut of the coat is based on an original in the Museum of Costume, Manchester, England and dates to 1690-1700.

Hand buttonholes, prick-stitched edges, interlinings, bronze buttons cast from period originals, laced seams and other embellishments would be extra. I could price these things out for you if you so desire. :)

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See I just didn't catch the difference in the length of the coat. I, for some reason, though that only the officers wore coats. I don't know why because the sailors had to wear something around the horns. I do have a question for you Kass. In your patterns do you have one that has both a top and bottom in it? Like that first picture that you had.

Git up of your asses, set up those glasses I'm drinking this place dry.

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I REALLY like the pewter buttons, but I was wondering, is there any detail on the pewter buttons or are they flat surfaced ?

How much would the hand buttonholes up the price ?

BTW, is the frock your hubby is wearing dark blue, charcoal, etc. ? It's hard to tell on my work computer. The monitor is almost period ;)

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I guess I just turned lesbian!

This picture of Admiral Leake (available on my site) interests me greatly, because it appears to show a hybrid of the common "long" fashions sported by officers and the practical seagoing fashion of the time. Note the long turnback cuffs slashed with a mariner's cuff.

85753100.jpg

This picture of a sea-gunner (a junior-ish officer) also shows a long coat with mariner's cuffs.

85757518.jpg

And as requested, some of my common sailor gear.

endofday.jpg

Foxe

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ETFox.co.uk

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The pewter buttons are plain, flat.

Handsewn buttonholes on a frock coat would run you $75. That's for all 65 buttonholes: front, back vent, top of the side vents, cuffs and pocket flaps.

His frock coat is a dark olive colour. Hard to see, I know...

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Put you down for one of each then, Cut-throat? ;)

Seriously, we're not going anywhere. Take your time. We'll be at reconstructinghistory [dot] com whenever you're ready. ;)

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I think I am finally back up and running... after all my crazy summer....

Anyway.

Just a few comments.

JUST $75 for 65 button holes???? That is a little over $1 a button hole.

Since they take me about 20 minutes each... that would be like $3 an hour to sew em'

Good deal!

Best of luck with the new venture! Your stuff looks great!

Keep us posted on all the latest developments....

Greg

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Where you will find lots of information on building your authentic Pirate Impression!

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JUST $75 for 65 button holes???? That is a little over $1 a button hole.

Since they take me about 20 minutes each... that would be like $3 an hour to sew em'

Good deal!

Hey GOF,

I bet if you asked nice, Kass would charge YOU more per buttonhole.... :ph34r::ph34r:


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The price kinda goes along with the purchase of the garment, dear Pat. But if you want me to figure out how much I would charge for buttonholes on a read-made garment, give me a minute and I'll figure it out...

The elves in the cellar say $2 per buttonhole on a garment that's already finished.

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I do have a question for you Kass. In your patterns do you have one that has both a top and bottom in it? Like that first picture that you had.

Sorry, Johnny. I just noticed that I missed this question.

The patterns generally have either tops or bottoms, not both. That's because they're interchangeable with other tops and bottoms, so we package them separately.

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