American West (1860-1890) Costumes. (click image to open category)

The American West or Wild West was a short period of history where after the American Civil War there was a massive expansion into the American Territories and a drive West from the more established Eastern Seaboard Cities and States. In historical terms this was a very short time period. With the national need for more farmland, more food stocks and the need for new towns for the influx of immigrants and migrants who had made the journey from their homelands and wanted to start their new life in the United States.
The rapid expansion being helped by the introduction of Railroads saw many new communities where the status quo of Law and Order was still being established.
Much of the Wild West is the stuff of fiction and Hollywood Movies. Indeed the dress and style of equipment usually seen relating to Cowboys and Lawmen is actually Post the Wild West Era. With the introduction of Moving Pictures and Illustrated press, the current styles of the 1920’s became the accepted dress for the entire western period. The simple fact is that most Cowboy, Wild West or Western Costumes are in fact an amalgimatum of clothes and equipment starting from the 1860’s and developing up to the 1920’s.
We have a large stock of such clothing and equipment to portray many different types of characters that satisfy the common public image of the Wild West.
However, if needed we do also have a selection of historically accurate pieces that can be clearly dated to specific time lines.