Make your own buckskin mountain men leggings/trousers using these authentic patterns from Missouri River.
Ideal for re-enactors, TV and film costume makers, and western enthusiasts.

The pack includes paper pattern templates and instructions

Leather suggestion: 

Soft Pig suede - Camel or Coffee (this leather is finer than buckskin and will give a lighter comfortable feel), a heavier calf split suede is available on request.

Can be machine stitched - use Leather Machine Needles or hand stitched using a Glover's needle

Decoration - see our range of beads and strips - click here

About Your Buckskin Pants Pattern

This style of buckskin pants is typical of those worn by the trappers, traders, and frontiersmen from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Coast beginning in the late 1700’s and stretching to the end of the 18th century. While many of the mountain men outfitted in St. Louis with commercial cloth trousers, the rigors of the frontier soon rendered them useless and they were then replaced by elk or buckskin pants copied from the cloth ones. Leather trousers held up much better under the rough conditions of trapping, riding, and frontier life in general, and were made either by the mountain man himself, or by Indians from a friendly tribe.

Decorations varied considerably and most pants were quite plain; however, fringe was very popular and some examples even sport floral beadwork down the front of both legs! Other variations include a sawtooth edge on the fly cover and rear “foxing”, or reinforcement on the back section of the legs and seat which might also have a sawtooth edge.

Our Buckskin Pants are authentically designed and simple to construct. They are extremely serviceable and can be worn with either a belt or suspenders.

This was standard wear for Eastern woodsmen from the French & Indian War until well after the Revolution. Includes several options for cuffs, cape and fringe treatment. Sizes M, L, XL and XXL.

Notions

Simulated sinew or heavily waxed linen or cotton button and carpet weight thread; 5 buttons of pewter, antler, bone, or shell; beads or other decorative touches if desired.

Material Requirements

Fringe: Authentically styled fringe (an optional addition) can easily be cut from the outer edges of the hides leftover from the cutting of the basic pants. This fringe does not need to be all in one section, and can be pieced together to conserve leather.

Suggested Materials

Early trousers were fashioned from native tanned, smoked hides. The best substitute for these is smoked German tanned buckskin, but commercially tanned deer or elk hides in a smoked color such as gold, or a lightly smoked color such as willow or tan also works well. A garment suede such as split cowhide may also be used.