Our family is also in the Hubbardston Militia, a Revolutionary War reenactment group. Reenactment groups have a higher standard of authenticity than recreation groups like the SCA or commercial practically-fantasy groups like Renfairs. Like Renfairs, they are for the public, not each others’ entertainment. For these costumes, I ordered patterns actually based on extant historical clothing. You can’t see it here, but the pants are incredibly complicated, with 11 buttons and various flaps and hidden pockets. It took me until the fourth pair to get the hang of them.

My first set of colonial men’s clothing was for my wife Bella, who cross-dresses for the militia so that she can shoot black powder guns. (I’m going to make her female garb as well, so that she can either choose to play my wife or my brother-in-law.) I don’t have a photo of her in her garb yet, but it’s coming. She’s an ensign with the militia (or is she a lieutenant now? Can’t remember…). The boys are too scared of guns to be militiamen, and I’m too crippled to march, so I’m the company doctor, Joshua is my apprentice and Brandon is my indentured servant. When I get my medical kit posted, I’ll be putting up pictures of that as well.

Anyway, this was a militia meeting with a small luncheon feast – Major Scott, his wife, and our family combined on the period food. (That’s Major Scott in the blue vest at the top; I believe that his wife did his garb, although he is commissioning a frock coat from me.) I gave a class on men’s clothing of the time. (When I have enough women costumed to do one, I’ll have a class on women’s clothing.) Here’s Joshua getting the food ready. The boys served it to the table in the “officers’ quarters”, where the Major, the doctor (me), and the nurses ate lunch. Everyone else fended for themselves outside on the porch or around the fire.

Next: the outfits themselves.(But lastly, here’s Joshua serving the food.)