The Red Matchcoat

Matchcoat appears to be a corruption of the Algonquin word “Matshcore” by early traders and military men that came in contact with the eastern woodland Indians. The word originally referred to a medium length cape that was made of furs or feathers. As wool cloth became available, it quickly became the material of choice for the matchcoat. It was usually wrapped around the waist, brought up the back, over the shoulder and held with one hand, leaving one hand and arm free to greet a friend or ward off a sudden blow by an attacker. The matchcoat was solid color, usually red, blue or white and decorated with rows of silk ribbons across one side of the garment. There could be as few as two or three rows of ribbon or as many as twenty, normally in strips of approximately one inch. This garment was worn by both men and women and was also adopted by many of the white traders of the 18th century, probably because of its simplicity. In the case of a woman’s garment, it was frequently also adorned with rows and rows of silver broaches and ring pins.

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