Neal Hurst

“kind of armour, being peculiar to America” The American Hunting Shirt

The mid 18th century backcountry of Virginia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania helped to give birth to a new and truly American fashion, the hunting shirt. This shirt was split up the front and sometimes belted closed, often caped around the shoulders and festooned with fringe on all its edges.  Join us to learn about this peculiar garment, how it developed, its uses in the Continental army and beyond!

 

Meet the Speaker:

Neal Hurst is the curator of textiles and historic dress at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. He received his BA in history from the College of William and Mary and his MA from the Winterthur Program in American Material Culture at the University of Delaware.  He served as assistant curator on the inaugural exhibition for the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In August of 2016, Neal joined the curatorial team at Colonial Williamsburg, and he has recently opened a new exhibition entitled Elegance, Taste, and Style: The Mary D. Doering Fashion Collection (2024).

 

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