T
he cloak was a basic overgarment for women, as the greatcoat was for men.
The cloak was typically hooded. The length of the full cloak came to about for to six inches from the
ground. The half cloak was also worn, reaching down to a bit below the waist. We use a tightly woven
mid-weight wool for the cloak. In order to stay warm, the colonial women might be wearing more than one
chemise, multiple woolen petticoats, sleeves on
her bodice, and a shawl under the cloak. In this manner she would hope to beat
the elements. Although we do not use an extremely heavy wool, the fabric is pre-shrunk to tighten the
fibers for added weather protection. Interior seams are machine sewn, with hand finished hems. Typical
colors for our cloaks are black, brown, scarlet, navy and gray. A fine pewter clasp is used to close the
neck of the cloak.
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