As people spread across the land, migrated west and moved from one city to another, the various forms of dance and the dance costume became more and more integrated and influenced the emergence of the American Square Dance that we enjoy today. Our square dance dresses of today can trace their history back to the elegant ballrooms of France and the grand manors of England. In those countries the minuet, polka, waltz, and quadrille were danced. It was an era of stately music, stately dances and stately dress. We go forward in time and the move to open the West is on.
Days are long and hard with both men and women working in the fields and tending the livestock.
Often people came from miles around to see their neighbors, catch up on the news and dance the night away. As square dancing grew out of the fad stage into a solid, stable activity, fashion, too, came into its own as a recognized costume. Tailored, western-cut trousers and western shirts for the men identify the male square dancer to the world. Perhaps the ladies, though, deserve the nod for having played such a large part in the change of character or evolution of our costume. Taking advantage of the many choices of material and colors available to hem and calling upon their innate knowledge of styling, the female square dancer has visually lifted square dancing from the red barn scene and placed it in a category of beauty and grace.