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You mean, I can dress up?

When I attended by first Old West event, which was End of Trail 1998, I was poorly prepared. My jeans had zippers, my riding boots were rubber AND English-styled, and I had to borrow a pair of poorly-fitting red cowboy boots. I had no western hat, no period boots, no period shirts. I was so pitiful that I attended the Saturday night dance in modern jeans and rubber boots with a borrowed poncho to cover my clothes and a borrowed gaucho hat to cover my modern hair. I was every inch the sorry-looking sidekick.

At left - Gillian and I are all dressed up for dinner at 5 Dogs near Bakersfield. I am wearing the grey wool walking suit I made. The skirt gets fullness from a well-gathered cotton slip I'm wearing underneath. Gillian's purchased 2-piece ballgown now sports a bustly ruffle made from the cape that came with the outfit and is topped with a bow. It now looks fabulous!

After that, I was determined to not repeat that mistake. I still had the poncho, but I also had button-fly britches, henley shirts, boots, a hat, and gun leathers. I also started making some clothes, because this stuff is not cheap. I invested in some good grey wool gabardine with black flocked flowers on it and made a walking skirt for the party. No longer was I going to be the sidekick. I later added a matching jacket for those cool California evenings.

At right: Anthony dressed up for a high desert shoot in the winter. This paisley shirt is the first item of clothing I ever made for him - almost 4 years ago. The chaps are recycled pants spruced up with fabulous brass conchos from the Australian Stock Saddle Company. These are clothes that can keep you warm and looking great.

I also started making clothing for other people. Because Anthony is such a "peacock of the prairie," I made him a brightly colored paisley shirt. And he had an old pair of suede pants that no longer fit him, so I reinvented them as chaps. The waistband holding them together is actually a couple of stirrup leathers from the Australian Stock Saddle Company. He's wearing both in this photo from 2000's Battle at the Border. You see, like in the really Old West, we don't let anything just "go to waste."

I also wanted to help out other friends who were getting into the "Spirit of the Game." My friend Gillian started out dressing boyish, but is really feminine-at-heart, so I made a dusty blue walking skirt and matching fitted vest. A little later, we added a pale yellow floral shirt to the ensemble, and she looks great in it.

Because she puts a lot of effort into our camp at these events, many of which are in extreme heat, I made her a fitted prairie calico dress. It's the perfect thing when you want some air circulation around your legs in the middle of a southern California summer and wear period clothing. And, since it's simple cotton calico, it's totally machine washable.

At left - Gillian stays stylish and cool in her ballgown - especially with this new deeper neckline. The great straw bonnet was made in New Orleans at Fleur de Paris (on Royal Street in the French Quarter), incorporating ribbons used on her walking suit.

Gillian also purchased a lovely ballgown at the 2001 End of Trail, but it didn't really fit quite right. So I changed it - taking the boat neck bodice and giving it a lovely heart-shaped neckline to show of her decolletage. I also refitted the shoulder seams and waistline, and took the matching cape she never wore and turned it into a bustle on the skirt. The outfit now looks great!

At right - I spent more time than money on this gown, but I was so pleased with the results. The flowers had to be hand-sewn, and the bustle is formed from multiple layers of netting. Talk about slippery work!

This year (2002), I got ambitious for End of Trail's Saturday night ball, and made myself a fabulous gown. It was made from drapery fabric I found at a really great price - silvery blue satin with a blue floral print. It has a fitted bodice, front drape, and a-line skirt with an attached bustle. It's decorated with white and blue flowers aorund the neckline, armholes and back. It took quite a bit of time to make (such a project requires lots of space to work), but it was worth it. I felt like a million bucks the night of the dance.

Seemed like such a good idea...

When it comes to enjoying these weekend end getaways to times-gone-by, it's important to have clothing that is attractive, comfortable, and functional. I am continually getting new ideas and throwing away old ones. Experience is a great teacher.

For example, while a ballgown with a long train looks great, you gotta be prepared to wear it. That means building in a carrying strap and dancing more carefully than you normally would.

Need a bustle pad, but don't have the time to make one or the money to buy one? Try the modern version - a plain fanny pack stuffed with socks. Stick that under your skirt and nobody will be the wiser. You'll have plenty socks for the event, and you can use the pack in your daily life.

Also, while a pair of well-fitting duckcloth trousers are easy to clean and relatively inexpensive, they aren't the most comfy thing to wear in the heat of summer on the back of a horse. A nice split skirt makes it much easier to mount up and gives you great air circulation around your legs.

Want to wear a real skirt to ride? Make sure it's full enough to drape around you and the horse. Bunched-up fabric is really uncomfortable. And a pair of bloomers underneath will not only look charming as you ride along, but will also protect your legs from being rubbed sore by the saddle's fenders.

Wanting to wear suspenders AND a vest? Well, just be prepared to get half-undressed (usually in a hot, cramped, smelly portable toilet stall) if you need to sit. Have YOU ever seen a hook you could hang your vest on in one of those things?

Want some flexibility and comfort in your footwear? Don't bother wearing tall boots in the summer. Get a pair of lacers and a matching pair of leggings (or half-chaps). You've got the leather for the calves, but can take them off between stages, during lunch and at the end of the day without having to find another pair of shoes (or a bootjack!).

And one more - NEVER wear your guns into a porta-potty. Would YOU want to drop a $300+ gun down the hole of one of those things? I've never met anyone that has - but I also don't want to be the first person I know to have to fish it back out and clean it.

For more information, visit some of my favorite places: The Happy Trails Children's Foundation Single Action Shooting Society Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association California Desperados Cowboy Mounted Shooting Club Anthony De Longis - Spirit of the West The Australian Stock Saddle Company Maple Sugar's Mother Lode Doc Bones' SASS Mounted Website Ye Olde World & Old West Living History Foundation Old Frontier Clothing

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Copyright 1998-2003 Mary Gallien. All contents, unless otherwise noted, are the property of Mary Gallien or used with permission of the copyright owner. All text and photos herein may not be reproduced or distributed without the express written consent of Mary Gallien, her official representative, or the copyright owner.

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This page last updated January 21, 2003