91原创

Skip to content

An undercover look at old time fashion during Brigade Days in Fort 91原创

It鈥檚 all about layers. And hats.
7958811_web1_copy_170805-LAT-brigade-days-fashion-upper-class
Christa Hanson and Daniel Holmberg demonstrate what a well-off couple would be wearing during the days of the fur trade at Fort 91原创. This year, for the first time, there will be a old-time fashion show at Brigade Days. Photo supplied

A corset helps when you wear a woolen dress with multiple layers of underclothes and the other accessories of a 1800s-era woman, Christa Hanson has discovered.

鈥淭he corset actually supports the layers,鈥 Hanson said.

鈥淚 thought it was going to be a lot heavier.鈥

Hanson will dress up for the audience at 鈥淔ur Trade Fashions鈥 for .

On Sunday, Aug. 6 at 12:30 p.m. Hanson and Daniel Holmberg will reveal what lies beneath the formal fashion of the fur trade era.

Hanson said it will be 鈥渇amily friendly,鈥 because the underclothes of the day preatty much cover everything.

鈥淲e鈥檒l probably have more on than most of the audience,鈥 she said.

People had fewer outfits back then, so the cover-up approach to underclothes had the practical benefit of reducing the amount of washing required.

When Hanson isn鈥檛 portraying a character from the early days of the fur trade in B.C., her hot-weather fashion choice usually involves shorts and a tank top, an outfit that would be considered 鈥渆specially scandalous鈥 in an era when the sight of a woman鈥檚 bare ankle was shocking, she said.

Back then, wearing less, even during the summer heat, was not an option.

For instance, both women and men were expected to wear hats, no matter what the temperature.

鈥淚t would be considered very rude to be out in public without your head covered,鈥 Hanson said.

Holmberg has concluded that both genders had reason to use 鈥濃 that were supposedly designed to prevent collapse in hot weather.

The demonstration will show how the number of layers increased as you climb up the social scale from the poor to people of higher social standing.

鈥淎ll the way from working class to fine ladies.鈥

The presentation will be followed by a fashion catwalk show by other historical re-enactors at the fort.

鈥淎 lot of what people want to see (at the historic Fort) is the fashions,鈥 Hanson said.

鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping to make it a regular thing.鈥

The Fort鈥檚 annual Brigade Day celebration runs Aug. 5 to 7 this year.

Each B.C. Day weekend the event re-creates the 1850s fur brigade that travelled down the river to Fort 91原创 every year.

Furs and other goods that had been traded to the Hudson鈥檚 Bay Company throughout the year from indigenous trading partners would be prepared for shipping to England.

After their visit, the fur traders would returned to their posts with trade goods and supplies for the coming year.

Admission to the fort at is free to commemorate Canada鈥檚 150th birthday.

Visitors can see laundry done by hand with a washboard and ringer, enjoy folk songs and stories and mingle with re-enactors demonstrating the old-time arts of sewing, laundry, weapons, blacksmithing and cooking.

It ends with a bagpipe procession down to the Fraser River shore, to witness a re-enactment of the arrival of the fur brigades.

Paddlers of a dozen canoes and a replica York boat will travel from Hope to Fort 91原创 where they traditionally unloaded their cargo of furs and barrels.

Following their arrival, a plaque will be unveiled recognizing as a person of national historic significance.

  • Full Schedule
  • SATURDAY August 5

10 a.m. Flag-raising Procession

All day: Pig Roast Demonstration

11 a.m. Historic Weapons Demonstration

12:30 p.m. Chinook Jargon

1 p.m. Trapping Techniques

2 p.m. Farm & Garden Tour

2:30 p.m. Historic Weapons Demonstration

3 p.m. Washer Women

4 p.m. Voyageurs

4:45 p.m. Flag Lowering

  • SUNDAY AUGUST 6

10 a.m. Flag-raising Procession

11 a.m. Weapons Demonstration

12 p.m. Washer Women

12:30 p.m. Fur Trade Fashions

1:30 p.m. Trapping Techniques

2 p.m. Farm and Garden

2:30 p.m. Fort Feats of Strength

3:30 p.m. Weapons Demonstration

4 p.m. Chinook Jargon

4:45 p.m. Closing time at the Trading Post

  • MONDAY AUGUST 7

10 a.m. Flag-raising Procession

11 a.m. Weapons Demonstration

11:30 a.m. Washer Women

12 p.m. Chinook Jargon

12:30 p.m. Bagpipe Procession from Fort to Marina Park

1 p.m. Arrival of the Fur Brigades

1:30 p.m. Procession from Marina Park to James Douglas Statue

3 p.m. Weapons Demonstration

4 p.m. Farm and Garden

4:45 p.m. Closing time at the Trading Post

7958811_web1_170805-LAT-brigade-days-fashion-layers
Christa Hanson, Nette Plant and Daniel Holmberg rehearse the art of old-school layering for a Brigade Days fashion show. Photo supplied


Dan Ferguson

About the Author: Dan Ferguson

Best recognized for my resemblance to St. Nick, I鈥檓 the guy you鈥檒l often see out at community events and happenings around town.
Read more



(or

91原创

) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }