To dress like a pilgrim, wear dark clothes with a white collar and top them with a felt hat or white bonnet; the classic stage version adds a gold buckle. The real Plymouth settlers of 1620 tied their shoes with leather, and Plimoth Patuxet Museums says their everyday clothes came in many colors, with brown, brick red, yellow, and blue common.
How do you dress like a pilgrim?
Build the look in five layers; the base needs only clothes you already own. The collar, apron, hat, and sock steps follow Plimoth Patuxet Museums' page on 1620s English dress.
- Start dark and plain. A long-sleeved dark top with dark pants or a long dark skirt. Plimoth says best clothes in the 1620s were often black.
- Add a white collar. Most people wore ruffled or flat linen collars, and some had lace. A flat white collar cut from cotton fabric does the job.
- Tie on a white apron. Everyone wore aprons to keep clothes clean; women's were long, and men's were shorter and usually worn for a trade.
- Choose a hat or bonnet. Men and boys wore wool caps or felt hats, and women wore linen caps called coifs with felt hats over them. For other eras, see our historical costumes range.
- Finish at the feet. Dark shoes, with dark knee socks pulled up over your pant legs, as stockings were worn up over the knee and tied with garters. Buckle covers give the classic stage finish, and a leather tie is the 1620s one.
What did the Pilgrims really wear?
Wool and linen in many colors, with leather ties where the costume has buckles, according to a 2006 Archaeology magazine interview with a Plimoth Plantation staff member. History.com reports that the black-hat, buckled-shoe image of the Pilgrims was dreamed up in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and that Pilgrim clothing was likely very colorful. The sources differ on black: Plimoth says best clothes were often black, while an educator at Plimoth Plantation quoted by History.com says black dye would have been too expensive for the humble settlers. The table checks each costume detail against the sources.
| The costume detail | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| All black and white | Plimoth Patuxet Museums says best clothes were often black, and that everyday clothes came in many colors, with brown, brick red, yellow, and blue common; other cloth was undyed gray or white |
| A gold buckle on the shoes | A 2006 Archaeology magazine interview with a Plimoth Plantation staff member says the Pilgrims fastened their shoes with leather ties, and buckles did not come into fashion in England until the 1660s |
| A tall hat | The V&A holds an English felt hat made between 1590 and 1680 with a tall, narrow "steeple" crown, a fashionable early 1600s style worn by men and women (the record does not mention the Pilgrims); Plimoth says felt hats had wide brims to shade the face |
| A big white collar | Plimoth says most people wore ruffled or flat linen collars, and some had lace |
| Pilgrim and Puritan are the same | The National Park Service says the Pilgrims were Separatists who wanted to be completely separate from the Church of England; History.com says the Puritans settled the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630 |
The buckled look is the familiar stage version, and a look with period colors and plain ties suits a history day.
Which pilgrim pieces are in our range?
Our pilgrim range covers hats, bonnets, buckle shoe covers, and one girls' three-piece costume. We do not sell a men's or women's pilgrim outfit, so adults wear our pieces with dark clothes they already own; the women's, men's, and kids' sections below match each piece to its wearer. The company runs over 500,000 quality checks annually.
What should a woman wear for a pilgrim costume?
Wear a long dark dress or skirt, a white apron and collar, and a bonnet. Between September 1 and October 13, 2026, 5.1% of this page's U.S. Google web impressions came from searches that name women and 2.9% from searches that name men, about 1.75 times as many; the rest name no wearer or are withheld by Google. In the 1620s, Plimoth says, women wore a linen smock, stiffened stays, a long-sleeved waistcoat, wool petticoats, and an apron, with a linen coif under a felt hat.
The white bonnet, for adults
The MorphCostumes White Colonial Bonnet is one size for adults, ages 14 and up, with a curved brim and an adjustable ribbon tie. Its page suggests it for colonial, Victorian, and pilgrim-inspired outfits, and we wear it with a long dark dress and a white apron. Spot clean it and store it flat.
The hat and bonnet sets, in black or white
Both sets pair a black faux suede hat, with a wide grosgrain band and a gold-tone buckle, with a bonnet that has a velvet-style body, a full brim, and ribbon ties. The MorphCostumes Black Pilgrim Hat and White Bonnet Set for Adults has a white bonnet, and the Black Faux Suede Pilgrim Hat and Bonnet Set for Adults has a black one. Each set is one size, and the hat fits adult heads of about 55 to 60 cm (21.4 to 23.6 inches). The pages say to wear the hat, the bonnet, or both together, so two people can split a set.
What should a man wear for a pilgrim costume?
Wear a dark long-sleeved top, dark pants, dark knee socks, a white collar, and a tall hat. Plimoth says men wore a linen shirt under a doublet, a close-fitting jacket attached to the breeches to make a suit, with stockings up over the knee and wide-brimmed felt hats. Our hat and buckle shoe covers supply the head and feet; your own dark clothes do the rest.
The hat, singly or in a pack
The MorphCostumes Adult Pilgrim Hat is black faux suede with a wide band and a gold buckle on the front. It stands about 6.5 inches tall with a 2.5-inch brim and fits heads of 58 to 59 cm, one size for ages 14 and up. Add adhesive foam strips inside the band for a snugger fit. Order a single hat or a pack of 3 or 6 for a school play or a group.
The hat and shoe covers, for the full pageant finish
The MorphCostumes Adult Pilgrim Hat and Gold Buckle Shoe Covers Set pairs a black hat with a gold buckle accent and a pair of black vinyl shoe covers with gold-tone buckles. The hat has an adjustable sweatband and fits about 55 to 60 cm. The covers slip over your own shoes and fasten with an elastic strap, so there is nothing to tie.
What is a good pilgrim costume for kids?
For girls, our three-piece costume gives a dress, an apron, and a cap in one pack. For boys, a dark long-sleeved top, dark pants, and a white fabric collar make the base, because we do not sell a boys' pilgrim outfit and our adult hat is for ages 14 and up. Plimoth says baby boys and girls in the 1600s both wore long gowns, and boys began wearing doublets with petticoats around age 4. For a toddler of either sex, we would use a plain long gown and a cap.
The girls' costume: dress, apron, and mob cap
The MorphCostumes Girls Black Pilgrim Costume is a long black dress with white lace trim, a separate white apron, and a mob cap bonnet, in 100% polyester that its page calls lightweight, stretchy, and breathable. Its page says easy fastenings help kids dress and undress more independently, and sizes run by age, so check the size guide on the page. Wash it by hand only and air dry it flat.
The bonnets, in black or white
The MorphCostumes Girls Pilgrim Bonnet Hat is a stiff black felt bonnet with ribbon ties, one size at about 48 cm (19 inches) for ages 3 and up. The White Pilgrim Bonnet for Kids is white hard-felt with long ribbon ties, one size at about 52 to 55 cm (20.5 to 21.5 inches). Measure around your child's head first, because the two are cut for different sizes.
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that hats should not slide over eyes or block vision, and that costumes must be short enough to prevent tripping and catching on objects. Tie bonnet ribbons so the brim stays clear of the eyes, and check the dress hem on the stairs. All of our kids' products are safety tested by accredited labs. Dressing a whole family or class? Our group costumes guide covers the planning, and the kids historical costumes range has more eras.
How do you make a pilgrim costume at home?
Use dark clothes you own plus three white pieces cut from household fabric: a collar, an apron, and a cap. Each copies a piece Plimoth Patuxet Museums lists for 1620s dress.
- Base layer. A dark long-sleeved top and dark pants or a long skirt. For a period-color look, pick brown, brick red, or blue instead of black.
- Collar. Cut a flat round collar from a white pillowcase or cotton napkin, with a neck hole and a slit down the back, and tuck it under your top.
- Apron. Fold a white tea towel or the rest of the pillowcase and tie it at the waist with a ribbon, long for a woman's look and short for a man's.
- Cap or hat. Tie a white cotton square under the chin for a coif, or roll black craft felt into a tall crown and tape a brim around it for a hat.
- Legs and shoes. Pull dark knee socks over your pant legs. Tie dark shoes with a leather lace for the 1620s look (ribbon works as a stand-in), or cut a buckle from craft foam for the stage one.
Our American Revolution costume guide covers a later period if the class moves on.
Is it okay to wear a pilgrim costume?
A pilgrim costume shows English settlers of the 1620s, and we think it suits a Thanksgiving play or a history day when it comes with some context. Plimoth Patuxet Museums says Thanksgiving does not mean the same thing to all Americans, and that Native Americans have gathered in Plymouth for a National Day of Mourning on Thanksgiving Day since 1970, where participants honor Native ancestors and the struggles of Native peoples to survive today. Its Thanksgiving page describes a three-day gathering in the fall of 1621 and says the museum does not know for sure why the Wampanoag joined it.
This guide covers the settlers' dress only. Plimoth Patuxet Museums notes that every Native Nation has its own way of dressing, and its page on Wampanoag clothing describes how the Wampanoag dressed in the 1600s.
Frequently asked questions
How do you dress like a pilgrim?
Wear dark clothes, a white collar, a white apron, and a felt hat or white bonnet. Plimoth Patuxet Museums says people in the 1620s wore flat or ruffled linen collars, aprons, and felt hats, with linen coifs underneath for women, so those pieces carry the look. The MorphCostumes Adult Pilgrim Hat or White Colonial Bonnet finishes it.
What did the Pilgrims really wear?
Wool and linen in many colors. Plimoth Patuxet Museums says best clothes were often black, while everyday clothes came in many colors, with brown, brick red, yellow, and blue common, and some cloth stayed undyed gray or white. Men wore a shirt, a doublet attached to breeches, and stockings; women wore a smock, stays, a waistcoat, petticoats, and an apron.
What should men and women wear for a pilgrim costume?
Both wear dark clothes with a white collar. Women add a white apron and a bonnet, such as the MorphCostumes White Colonial Bonnet or a hat and bonnet set, and men add a tall hat, such as our Adult Pilgrim Hat, which fits heads of 58 to 59 cm.
What makes a pilgrim costume authentic?
Natural-dye colors, a linen collar, and no shoe buckles. A 2006 Archaeology magazine interview with a Plimoth Plantation staff member says the Pilgrims fastened their shoes with leather ties and that buckles did not come into fashion in England until the 1660s. The buckled costume is a fun pageant look, and a plain-tie version suits a history day.
How do you make a pilgrim costume at home?
Wear dark clothes and make a collar, an apron, and a cap from a white pillowcase or tea towel, three pieces Plimoth Patuxet Museums lists for 1620s dress. Tie the apron at the waist, pull dark knee socks over your pant legs, and tie your shoes with ribbon or a leather lace instead of a buckle.
What is the difference between a pilgrim and a Puritan costume?
They were different groups. The National Park Service says the Pilgrims were Separatists who wanted to be completely separate from the Church of England, and History.com says the Puritans settled the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630. History.com says the black-hat, buckled-shoe image was dreamed up in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and that only the wealthier Puritans may have worn black hats, so a Pilgrim costume can use period colors and plain ties.
What should kids wear for a pilgrim costume?
For girls, the MorphCostumes Girls Black Pilgrim Costume includes a long black dress with white lace trim, a white apron, and a mob cap. For boys, wear a dark long-sleeved top and pants with a white fabric collar. Check that any hat or bonnet stays clear of the eyes.
