The Great American Shirt

You might reasonably assume that America has always worn long-sleeve shirts cut much like the ones it wears today, except made in fabrics like muslin and linsey-woolsey.

Not a bit.

The original Great American Shirt (pre-Revolutionary days to ca. 1875), was cut extra long, with extra full sleeves that had lots of gathers.

It came in two versions: (A) ruffled collar and cuffs, gentleman-style (Ben. Franklin, Geo. Washington, etc.); (B) plain-collar, button-cuff working-man style.

What you see here is a Civil War Cavalry issue of version A. It gives a man freedom to move. When he catches sight of himself, he just naturally thinks, “Hmm, looking good,” and so do other people.

Gentlemen, you know the situation: these are the times for all real American men to put on their shirts again.