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Women
in Victorian society were taught from an impressionable age to conform to society's
norms via serious amounts of peer pressure. To deviate from the norm was
to be considered less than a lady and no one wanted to be shunned for
being less than a lady. Doing your best to look your best was important,
and all who could afford it aspired to attain the latest fashions.
One of the measures of beauty for this look was to appear to have a small waist. To this end, women constructed gowns to accentuate this feature. The jewel neckline and center front openings were universal. Armscyes went very low onto the arm, making the shoulders look wide and sloping, thus accentuating the smallness of the waist. Side and shoulder seams were moved to the back to make a smoother line to the waist. Skirts were full to make the waist seem smaller by comparison. Sleeves were full at the elbow, to make the waist look smaller by comparison.
It
should be noted that waistlines were of the period were "normal" in
size. The cliché of corsets tightened to the point of permanent injury
belongs to a later era, not the civil war era. Since gowns were designed to
accentuate the smallness of the waist, tight corseting was not needed. Look
carefully at period images, although most of these ladies' are wearing corsets,
their body shape is not so different from our own.
This look was the norm and most women aspired to it. The affluent bought gowns made up in the latest styles from Mantua Makers. Those who sewed their own fashions worked tirelessly to create new gowns with "the look." Poor women would rebuild old dresses to reflect the new fashion whenever possible.
Some of the exceptions to this might be older women who would be wearing fan-fronted dresses from the fifties. Frontier women, farm women, nurses and working women would adapt this fashionable look into a looser, more functional version without hoops or wear wrappers and aprons. Emigrants might retain all or portions of their folk dress from their country of origin.
There
are many sources of information on how women of the Civil War era dressed. Fashion
magazines of the day abound, and Godey's Ladies Book and Peterson's Magazine
were two of the most popular. Paper patterns as we know them were not yet in
use, so women were expected to view the pictures and figure out how to make
them (or have their dressmaker/mantua maker make them up). Most of these fashion
images were very elaborate styles, you can compare Godey's to the Vogue magazine
of today. Most women could not afford to wear those styles, but they would be
inspired by the silhouettes and style elements and adapt them to a simplified,
more attainable look.
Period photographs of women provide an excellent, detailed look at what women actually wore. To be sure, they wore their best dress (if they had one) for their photograph--a very special occasion. But comparing these "best dresses" to the elaborate styles of Godey's brings us back to reality. Pay attention to style and cut-although the fabric and design elements may vary, the basic silhouette and look remains the same.
This website focuses on the styles worn by middle and working class women--the women in the majority. Those privileged few who could afford elegant, elaborate gowns were in the minority although all women, except for the very poor, had at least one good dress for church and social functions.
Necklines:
Jewel necklines were universal and when visible were finished with an edging
of piping or tape. Most necklines were enhanced with a removable white collar.
Collars were basted in so that they could be removed from the dress for laundering.
The exceptions were black collars for women in mourning and an occasional upright
or frilled collar. Collars were generally enhanced with a brooch at the throat
or a nice ribbon tie.
Sleeves:
Most sleeves were very wide, with exaggerated width at the elbow. Some were
gathered at the shoulder seam and at the wrist. The Bishop sleeve was gathered
at the shoulder, wide at the elbow and tapered to a narrow wrist. Others were
of the "coat sleeve" variety-made of two pieces, they were smooth
at the shoulder seam, wide at the elbow, then tapered to a narrow wrist or with
a wide opening above the wrist and undersleeves beneath. Most photos show undersleeves
worn with sleeves--a look that is under-represented at reenactments. Sleeves
are often trimmed with ruching or braid in period images, another look that
is not often seen on reenactors. Pagoda sleeves with huge sleeve openings over
undersleeves were a holdover from the 50s that was seen throughout the 1860's.
Bodices:
Most bodices were fitted closely to the torso with darts from the waistband
up to the bustline. Other bodices were gathered or tucked for a looser fit.
Shoulders were cut very wide and extended down the arm to a dropped armscye.
Bodices were generally constructed separately from the skirt, then basted to
the waistband of the skirt to make the dress. Other bodices were sewn to the
skirt with a single waistband, more practical for those who are active. Bodices
closed with a center front opening, using hooks and eyes or buttons. Bodices
were lined to give them body.
Skirts:
Fashionable skirts were as wide as possible, this width was accentuated with
the support of hoops or multiple starched petticoats. With a very few exceptions,
no trim was applied to the skirt. Skirts were not lined, nor were they hemmed
as we do today by turning under a portion of the fashion fabric. Hemming was
done by applying a wide band of fabric (old dress fabric, muslin, even flour
sacks) to the underside to give the skirt weight for a smooth fit. This hem
band was usually quite wide-6 to 12 inches were the norm. Tape was often sewn
into the seam between skirt bottom and hem band to prevent wearing of the fabric
edges.
Skirts were fashioned to be very full, and that meant a lot of fabric must somehow be gathered up into the waist band with minimal bulk. Generally, knife pleats of various widths were used to fold the bulky fabric into a smooth line at the waist. The knife pleats were directional to the front of the skirt, where they formed an inverted box pleat.
Wool
was the most widely available. It came in a variety of weave, from fine
to coarse. It seamed and accepted dyes well and was durable. Well
made wool fabric was so closely woven that cut edges did not ravel. The standard
choice for a well made and durable garment.
A type of fabric called "Linsey-woolsey" was used by farm wives and frontier women due to its durability and low cost. This fabric used cotton or linen as the warp thread, and wool as the weft thread. Considered by some to be coarse & ugly, it was, nevertheless, very important for the construction of work clothing.
Silk was the standard for fine dresses, and most ladies aspired to a silk dress as their "good" dress. Silk held dye colors well and raw silk garments were quite sturdy. Fine silk was more delicate, but all the more desired. Elegant brocades were made up into beautiful gowns for the wealthy.
Jean
Cloth was a stout, round-twilled cloth, woven with cotton warp and woolen
weft but often composed entirely of cotton. Used mainly for men's wear, it became
a standard fabric used in the South.
Homespun Most fabric at this time was purchased "ready made", and the art of spinning & weaving were all but forgotten in developed areas. It was essential in areas where bolt fabrics could not be purchased or blockades prevented shipments of cloth. Southern women revived the art of spinning and weaving and wore dresses made of homespun with a special pride - it was considered patriotic to make your own fabrics rather than pay high prices for Northern wool. Wool or cotton homespun was used on farms, the frontier, and in the South during the later years of the war.
Cotton fabrics were always available. This soft, easy to seam fabric was much desired. Some types of cotton were ironed with steam to give it a polished, shiny finish. It accepted dyes well and could be printed with elaborate patterns. Woven cottons with plaid, stripes, windowpane plaids and gingham plaids were available.
Linen
made some of the loveliest fabrics for fine dresses and gowns. As this fabric
wrinkled easily and required pressing with a high-heat iron it was relegated
to "good dress" and fancy gowns.
All fabrics were sold as lengths from bolts, and bolts were very narrow-only about 20-30 inches wide.
Fabrics were available mostly as solid colors, stripes, and plaids. After viewing hundreds of period photographs, probably 80% of them feature solid color gowns, with stripes coming in second, then plaid, dots & prints. Lovely printed fabrics were used for the gowns of the wealthy, as much fabric was required to match the patterns.
Remember also that Calico was considered only suitable for the lowly, and was at times referred to as "slave cloth" for it's use in slave clothing, though it seems to have been more accepted in the west. A letter from an Army wife traveling west in 1865 remarks "all the ladies are attired in calico, and I felt sorry for them that they could afford nothing better"
Fabric
Colors Fabrics were available in a variety of prints, but mostly as solid
colors, stripes, and plaids. After viewing hundreds of period photographs, probably
80% of them feature solid color gowns, with plaids coming in second, then stripes
& prints. Lovely printed or brocaded fabrics were used for the gowns of
the wealthy, as much fabric was required to match the patterns.
Buttons were used as fasteners and decorative touches. Buttons were made of shell, mother of pearl, glass, bone, leather, metal, and ceramics. Self-fabric covered buttons were frequent. Some fancy buttons featured exquisite portraits and designs.
Ribbon was of silk cut on the bias or narrow bands of silk woven as tapes. A grosgrain type of ribbon was available, sometimes referred to as tape. Satin ribbon was featured on bonnets, and some gowns featured strips of velvet sewn on as embellishment.
Braid was featured in swirling patterns on bodices, sleeves and jackets. Most trim was sewn to the bodice and sleeve. In fact, most period images show trim applied to sleeves, a look under-represented at reenactments. Skirts were rarely trimmed (probably due to the miles of trim needed for those full skirts!)
Self-piping was used frequently in bodices, to strengthen and highlight seam lines. Armscyes on bodices were generally piped, to accentuate the seam, make the shoulders appear wider and add strength.
Boning was used generously, particularly in fancy or ball gown bodices. Boning was placed in casings along seam lines.
Linings Period gowns were lined-sleeves and bodices but rarely skirts. Linings were not generally made of self fabrics. Women used fabric scraps, bits of old gowns, or even flour sacks for the purpose. Skirts were hemmed with a wide band of lining fabric rather than a turned under hem. This gave the skirts weight and saved on precious fashion fabric.
Lace I have only rarely seen images of lace applied to gowns. Lace tends to show up attached to accessories such as daycaps, handkerchiefs, collars or cuffs.
Hooks & Eyes Gowns & bodices fastened with hooks & eyes. These metal fasteners were sturdy and inexpensive.
We
shall regress from our discussion of period fashions for a moment to comment
on what most reenactors call "the GWTW factor". GWTW stands for "Gone
with the Wind". Some have read the book and most have seen the movie-I
do not wish to disparage this work for it is a fabulous work of fiction. BUT
IT IS A WORK OF FICTION. Do not take GWTW as a true vision of life during the
Civil War, nor mistake the fashions in the movie for actual garments of the
Civil War. The movie's costume designer was inspired by period fashion, but
tempered it with 1940's silhouettes/hairstyles and added much elaboration for
the sake of drama.
Yet at events you still see ladies attired in yards of polyester
satin in excruciating colors, encumbered with miles of lace and trim. Sigh.
Think about it a bit. Life was tough during the Civil War, requiring economies
on the part of most women. Besides, what business does a ball-gown clad lady
have so near a military camp (as at most events). If you are going to reenact,
you should strive to portray a real personage of the times, not a fictional
one. Movies are great entertainment, but other than documentaries are not a
reliable source for clothing information. Dare to reenact history, not act out
your fantasies.
Images from the collection of Fanny & Vera