The first Thanksgiving had many of the same aspects as a modern Thanksgiving. Guests dined on turkey, potatoes, corn, cranberries, among other native vegetables. The Pilgrims and Natives enjoyed sweet treats after the main feast too. The attendees at the inaugural holiday also partook in sporting activities. Then, they shot guns and arrows, and ate grapes. Now, we play football and eat pie, and then eat more pie. While not exactly the same, the sweet teeth and sporting spirit remains. Perhaps the biggest change might be our wardrobes for the big day. Nowadays, we dress for comfort to dine indoors. But in those days, the attendees dressed for function to dine outdoors.

The Native women likely would have been dressed in skirts with leggings made from buckskin. Some might have worn shirts to cover their upper torso. Others would have worn full length dresses, also made from buckskin. The neutral color of buckskin was a perfect base for their pops of brightly colored beads and feathered tassels affixed to their waist and sleeves. The footwear was, you guessed it, also made from buckskin. Far from the raised heel shoes of today, these flats were ideal for walking rough terrain while keeping one’s balance.

The Native men’s wardrobe was similar in material using buckskin for pants and their feet. They also might have worn a large wrap to keep their upper bodies warms. These wraps included intricate bead designs and made use of beads that shared the same brown, orange, and yellow colors of nature in autumn. They incorporated feathers into their pants and wraps. The men also might wear a traditional headdress made of feathers.

The Pilgrim women would have worn black long dresses to the ankle, revealing black buckled boots. While there was not much style to the Pilgrim clothing, women could have accessorized with a bonnet or a hat closely resembling today’s top hats. Not all women dressed in black, some had colorful blouses to pair with a brown or black dress. The dresses were made of thick materials, like wool. Blouses were made from linens or cotton. The women also wore cotton stockings that were concealed by their dresses.

The Pilgrim men were equally as one-dimensional, donning black slacks cut at the knee and shirts with white accented collars, socks, and shiny belt buckles. The men’s wardrobe consisted of the same materials used for Pilgrim women’s clothing. They utilized wool for pants and tops while wearing cotton stockings. Their shoes were made of leather from various animal skins, accessorized with a gold buckle. The men also wore top hats adorned with their favorite accessory, a buckle. Just as not all women dressed in dark colors, the men had various options to add some color to their wardrobes. Some men wore buckskin vests over their cotton long-sleeved shirts. They had access to khaki pants as well, along with colorful stockings and capes.

The Pilgrims and Natives had to put a bit more thought behind their outfits since their main purpose was to keep the wearer warm. They also had to source their own clothing without the benefit of an AI voice assistant. They hunted and foraged for their food and clothing. Today, we ask AI to order us clothes, deliver us food, and tell us when the food is cooked. While many of the food traditions have endured, readers can be thankful they no longer have to hunt for their clothing. Happy Thanksgiving.