Dressing the Part - Motoring Clothes and a Note about Women

Clothes for the Car!

Clothing the motor camper is not much different from clothing the hunter, trapper, or fisherman of the era, and women often tended to dress in men's clothing for these sorts of expeditions, or even women's clothing designed like men's clothing. (For example, trousers shaped for hips, or blazers with a bust.) This is due to both the convenience of men's clothing for the activities involved, but also due to the acceptability of women in men's clothing that followed WWI. The war created a shortage of able-bodied men in the States, and even more-so in Europe. This meant that from 1914-1918, many women went to work in men's roles in factories where men's clothing was not only more practical, but safer too. 

 First female conservation officer, Michigan, 1920's.

There is no lack of great information regarding sporting attire of the period. Reenactment groups such as Early 20th Century Sportsman and the Amalgamated Order of Motor Campers are a wealth of information relating to outdoor activities in this period. There are also support groups for this time period if people want to make their own gear. Etsy and eBay are great resources for original gear, often at affordable prices. A simple Google search will yield a bountiful harvest of original photographs for all sorts of outdoors clothing and gear. For this reason, I will mostly gloss over most of that information and focus on clothing and gear that relate directly to the use of the automobile. 

"Formal" driving attire of the 1920's. These are chauffeurs, so this is a driving uniform, as opposed to driving clothes.
These are designed to look professional, while still being practical. 

The Feet:

Footwear is an important consideration. Knee-high boots are very common and were very popular in the period for a variety of activities. My personal experience has been that these boots can interfere with the clutching process of a modern replica car, however, they do not interfere with a period car, due to the difference in dashboard shape and depth. If you can only purchase one pair of footwear, then I would recommend taking into consideration what kind of automobile you may end up driving. However, if you intend to be a passenger, then I should think that either form of footwear (tall or short) would be acceptable. 

Ward's boot advertisement from 1922. Any of these styles would be acceptable for driving.

Young man motoring in short boots and a pair of WWI-era woven puttees.

Legs:

Even if you're driving a replica car with an automatic transmission, (they're rare, but they exist) as opposed to a replica with a clutch, or an original automobile, you should consider jodhpurs. They are by far the most comfortable pants I've ever worn. They are perfect for working a clutch as they have extra room in the thighs - being originally designed for horseback riding - and as such do not bunch up around the crotch while clutching. Loose-waisted trousers are a good choice as well. You'll want to avoid overly tight and restrictive clothing, particularly below the waist. Though they are worn by both men and women, jodhpurs seem to be very heavily favored by women in the 1920's and 1930's for driving and camping activities. Plus-fours are also commonly worn, though these disappear in the 30's as the Great Depression put an end to such extravagant fashions. Below the knees, additional covering is commonly used. such as gaiters, leather puttees, woven puttees, and leather spats. The most important thing to remember is to make sure that your ankle is not constrained. The ankle is used quite extensively in the sport of driving, and anything that prevents the ankle from moving will cause pain and could create a hazardous condition while driving.

Man and woman, dressed for motor camping. The woman is in jodhpurs and the man is wearing loose trousers.

Early 1930's advertisement showing a variety of acceptable pants.

Waist up:

For both men and women, typical attire includes shirts, vests, sweaters and cardigans, and a wide array of jackets and coats. Just about anything from the period is usable for motoring, so consider your needs specifically. I have a touring car, so it's rather cold in the fall and early spring, and exceptionally cold in the winter. I prefer to layer up with an undershirt, a wool WWI surplus shirt, a vest, a wool cardigan, a wool pullover, and a driving duster for cutting the wind. It is easy to remove layers as you warm up. This is more suitable than a heavy coat. However, I may look for something heavier if I were to drive in cold weather. One option is a leather Norfolk coat, or a Buffalo Coat, though this is a very pricey investment. Fur collars add warmth as well, but also cost more. Woolen hunting coats would be a good, and more affordable option. In the summer, a cotton shirt and a light driving duster is ample to prevent being battered by the wind at higher speeds. A vulcanized rubber raincoat is a good choice if you intend to drive in adverse conditions, and is quite handy just for camping in general, as you never know when the weather may turn.

Heavy winter coats based on the Norfolk Jacket design.

Sears and Roebuck vulcanized rubber raincoat from the 1920's

Motorist wearing a "Buffalo Coat", the ultimate in warmth and luxury.

Ad for winter Driving Dusters.

Summer Driving Dusters.

Woman motorist wearing a wool duster with fur cuffs and a driving hat.

Headgear:

It is vital to wear a hat when motoring. Should the top be removed in warm weather, the wind will play havoc with your hair. This is less of an issue for men, who simply have to slap on a little more "Dapper Dan", but it can be quite disastrous for women motorists. In cooler weather, even with the top up, the "wind chill" factor whilst driving will be nearly unbearable. Covering the ears is quite important. This can be done with a folding ear flap on a hat, say an ivy cap or a Kromer-style, or with a scarf wrapped over the ears and hat. For reasons of wind, it is best not to drive with a broad-brimmed hat, such as a fedora or campaign hat. Of course, these types of hats are exceptionally good for camping, as they keep the sun off very well, however, they are best left packed in the car during transit. A crushable, tight-fitting cap, such as has already been mentioned, can be kept in the pocket of your driving duster, ready for use whenever driving occurs. For colder weather, fur-lined leather driving or aviator helmets are worth considering. While not an absolute necessity, goggles are fairly handy, particularly if you intend to spend some time on the road, especially in summertime. There have been several occasions on a hot summer day, that a cross-breeze has blown dust in my eye, causing me to have to pull over and work it out before I can proceed to drive again. After a full day of driving, it is remarkable how gritty one's skin can be. Now, remember that this is on modern, 21st Century roads. Imagine what it was like 100 years ago! Also, if you are lucky enough to find a back country gravel road to drive, you will certainly want goggles, especially if there's more than one automobile in your convoy.

 Fur-lined driving or aviation helmet for cold-weather driving.

Woman racecar driver, wearing a canvas helmet and driving goggles.

 One common version of driving goggles are made of celluloid and/or Bakelite. These more-or-less create a seal with your face.

Another common style of goggles, more akin to safety glasses. These will let air in at the sides, but the fine screen protects from particles.
Both usually feature heavy-duty, shatter-resistant glass lenses.

Another note about women:

I know I've mentioned women quite a bit in this post. Part of that is because I know that for most reenactors, men are usually interested in the guns and gear, while women are in it for the fashion. (Yes, I know. That's a gross generalization and someone will call me out on it...) I have also noticed that there's a rift among reenactors in pre-20th century time periods. Many groups encourage women to dress as men (often termed "lumpy soldiers") in order for them to be able to participate in every part of the hobby, while other groups scorn that concept as being inauthentic and unhistorical. I am quite delighted to discover that early 20th century motor camping was a very gender-neutral hobby, even in the 1920's. In fact, women were camping, driving, wearing men's clothing, making critical strategic decisions, and often camping entirely on their own or with girlfriends, even before they had the right to vote! I am often surprised when reading the writings of these intrepid women, to find that they have incredibly modern thoughts on a variety of social matters. For this reason, I would like to encourage more women to become involved in this genre of reenacting, because it is the first time-period where women can participate entirely on the same level as men, doing all the same activities, and they don't have to "pretend" to be men, and yet it is 100% historically accurate for them to do this. This is truly a time-period for the whole family to enjoy. In closing, here are a collection of pictures of women enjoying the outdoors and their automobiles! Happy motoring!