Functional Fort Fashion

At the stone fort, whether you were an upper-class woman, like Mrs. Colville, or a skilled labourer, your clothes served a purpose: offering protection from the elements, conveying social status, and even aiding in a person’s daily work. In 1851, fashion in the heart of Canada blended styles of the period with the utilitarian needs of life on the prairies.

These articles of clothing are more than they appear.

Ceinture Fléchée

With its arrow pattern and striking colours, a Ceinture Fléchée could take between 70 and 200 hours to complete, requiring 300 to 400 fine-waxed woolen threads woven together by hand. The final product is beautiful, functional, and an iconic symbol of the Métis culture that endures today.

In 1851, this sash was also the Swiss Army Knife of the fur trade. Fastened at a voyageur’s waist, the compression from this wool garment assisted its wearer in lifting heavy objects such as hefty fur bales by preventing potentially deadly hernias. Off the waist, the sash could be used as a tumpline, a tourniquet for injuries or even an emergency bridle : whatever a voyageur might need while traversing the prairies by foot, horse or canoe.

Beaver felt hat

Made from the material from which the fur trade got its name, top hats, also known as Beaver Hats, were the literal height of fashion for men in 1851. Beaver fur, pulled or shaved from the pelt, were put through a multi-step process to mat, bond, shrink, stretch and dry the fur into a workable fuzzy fabric. From there, the hat could take shape (a shape that sometimes reached heights of 20 centimetres)! 

One could argue that the purpose of a top hat is to protect a man’s head from the elements, but the hat primarily served the purpose of adhering to social etiquette and denoting status. Not found in commonplace sale shops, a hat of this stature had to be privately ordered and imported from England, making it a very expensive statement piece for upper class gentlemen, who wouldn’t be caught without a hat outside. 

Chatelaine

The original key chain, the chatelaine was more than an ornamental piece of metal; it kept one’s essential items close at hand. Fastened to a belt or pocket, the decorative metal hook would attach small articles by chain. Keys, scissors, notebooks, and perfume bottles are just a few of the things people would connect to themselves with the chatelaine.

Chatelaines were customizable and unique to its wearer. For an avid smoker, you might find a set of pipe-smoking instruments, or a sewing kit for a quilter. At the stone fort, Mrs. Dean would have likely secured a chatelaine to the waistband of her apron, keeping keys to the various doors of the Big House.