Fabric pants

[isaac]

I totally see the practicality of hide garments in the west (Kurz and others even mention this). Assuming you have someone that can do basic tailoring, hides are indeed plentiful. I think one of the nicest other parts of hide, besides how tough they are, is their ability to stop wind. Having been out on the prairie in cold and wind (not as much as many of you), it is harsh. A little hide covering to stop the wind is pretty dang nice. The one thing that does still plague my mind is that even though hide seems so great, there is obviously still some demand for fabric (and not just in shirts, but even trousers/pants). Is this just fashion sense or was their a practical reason as well? I also really wonder about seasonal or even "occupational" differences. Hide pants are great for riding (that is how/why they developed in Europe) but wool is better suited to in and out of creeks, ponds, rivers, etc. when trapping. It makes me think that there were different uses and times when these would have been worn by the same person. I need to read more with this in mind... so the brain sickness begins

[Snakebite]

So with the hide clothing, was the rough side or smooth side usually on the outside. I've seen some clothing in museums that looked like the rough side was on the outside, and not sure if it made a difference but these were South/Southwest tribes. I had a pair of elk pants a very long time ago and if I remember correctly the smooth side was on the outside. Don't know if that was correct or not.

As for fabric, I'm assuming wool would have been the preferred fabric for cold weather?  

[leatherstocking]

Isaac

All those years ago I wore either elk skin leggings or wool trousers........most of the guys doing "Southwestern/Taos" trappers that I hung with, very often wore cloth trousers, usually with leather reinforced seats. My more northern buckskinner buddies wore buckskin trousers or again, leggings. I think remembering the Corps of Discovery, started out with wool clothing/uniforms but quickly replaced them with buckskin as they wore out. The farther away from the settlements, the more likely buckskin would be the norm...at least in time. I also think a combination of "civilian" and frontier would be most appropriate.

I think if I return to do a 1820's-1840's impression, I would allow myself, wool trousers and leather leggings both, for different occasions, which might have likely been the same for western adventurers of various occupations.