Are your pants wearing out too fast? Does it look like you are expecting a flood because your pants are too short? Make your Civil War Uniform trousers last forever by following these 5 tips! 1. Cut your trousers long, so when you first start wearing them you will have to roll them up a few times. Your inseam should be a few inches longer. Dont worry! It is authentic to roll them up. Why should I do this? You might say. Because they will shrink every time you wash and wear them! 2. All my pants are either jean cloth or cotton I don't have any wool because so many reenactments are hot! That is why I recommend you try to find a jean cloth. Jean cloth will be cooler. 3. Find a jean cloth that does not itch too badly. Or you can line your jean cloth pants if you have sensitive skin, but they will be so much cooler than wool pants. Cotton pants are perfectly all right...they are documented in ECHOES OF GLORY: ARMS AND EQUIPMENT OF THE CONFEDERACY. The military pattern was created from the civilian patterns of the day. Pick a style you like and get a pattern for it and follow the directions on the pattern 4. All stitching that shows on your trousers needs to be hand done as well as all the buttonholes. I recommend using bone or metal buttons can be used. Some metal buttons can rust and stain your pants. Brass would be a good metal to use if you are going for metal buttons, which are more durable. You want strong buttons on your trousers because of all the wear and tear they will get. Stay away from shell or glass buttons because they will break. 5. Another suggestion is to put a back button on your trousers, so the material does not rip and to give this part of your pants as much strength as possible. So, now your pants will last for many reenactments to come! Coach McCoach invites you to join the Civil War Uniform newsletter and receive 41 FREE money and time saving ideas for improving your Civil War Impression. Go to http://www.civilwaruniforms.net and send other interested Civil War Reenactors there so they can get their own free course too. 2005 permission granted to reprint this article in print or on your website so long as the contact information is included to coach@civilwaruniforms.net or http://www.civilwaruniforms.net. |
