Colonial Consumption and Community Preservation: From Trade Beads to Taffeta Skirts

From Introduction: Monday, April 30, 1917, was a fairly ordinary day for Belva Mosher (19171923:51). She began her diary entry with a short description of the cool, wet Wisconsin weather; an unfortunate spring rain kept her indoors for much of the day. She went on to mention several mundane events before concluding the day’s entry: in the morning she visited with her friend Ella and, later that afternoon, sent away to Sears & Roebuck for a silk taffeta skirt. For me, this “everyday” example of consumption is of particular interest because Belva was indigenous.