Bundle Up: Battling the Cold in 1850s Kansas

Drawn from the collections of the Merchant Tailor Museum, Bundle Up showcases how men’s fashion was adapted to provide warmth during the winter. Including coats, hats, waistcoats, and even a pair of hand-knit wool under-drawers, the exhibit illustrates how heavier fabrics, knitted accessories, and layered clothing offered protection from the cold, indoors and outdoors, in the days before central heating.

About The Merchant Tailor Museum

The Merchant Tailor Museum was founded in 2022 by Ben Jenkins to fill a niche in research and education. A historical tailor, he began collecting original clothing to aid in the patterning and construction of high-end reproduction garments.  The collection serves as a resource allowing others to research, learn about, and explore men’s garments manufactured between 1845 and 1865. The Watkins is grateful to them for sharing this fascinating historical resource.