As re-enactors, we are given a truly enviable position: to show our culture its living and breathing past. We enable them, in some small way, to understand those who have gone before and to appreciate their struggles. As such, reenacting is a tremendous responsibility, but also a tremendous pleasure. We should never forget as we pursue authenticity and the truth that we are representing real people who loved and laughed as we do. They had their joys and their sorrows, but also a very sincere hope of the future. Let us keep their memory and their hope alive as we teach our children and give to them our own living legacy.

The era of the crinoline was one of the most distinctive and lovely styles in the history of women’s clothing. The increasing prosperity of the middle classes in the 19th century had brought the rage to be a la mode within the reach of enormous numbers of women who had never before aspired to be fashionable. Later in the century, new dyes and new methods of producing fabrics and trims gave even the amateur dressmaker the ability to produce a fashion statement.

        A Day Dress would be worn in the mornings or afternoons, for informal occasions such as breakfast, or household chores. They generally have a closed or close fitting sleeve. They can be fitted, gathered, pleated or fan front. The skirts are generally a little less full, but can be worn over multiple petticoats or a hoop. They are usually made of cotton or wool, for easy care.

        An Afternoon, Tea, or Promenade dress has more trim and generally a more open sleeve, like a modified or full pagoda sleeve, although a close fitting sleeve can be worn for the afternoon as well. The bodices are usually the same design as the day dress with more trimmings added. The skirts usually are fuller, to accommodate a fuller hoop, and have more fullness to the back of the skirt, which can be slightly longer and training. More expensive fabrics can be used for this style of dress: silks, wools, and finer cottons.

        These dresses are made of the most lavish styling one could imagine. They usually have short sleeves, but a three-quarter length sleeve is also acceptable. They can open in the back or front, with buttons, hooks and eyes or eyelets. Very fine silks, cottons and blends of silk and wool have been known to be used for formal wear. The skirts are very full and sometimes training in the back. Expensive laces and trims were generally used for eveningwear.

        Children’s clothing, during the American Civil War era, was not just the fluff and ruffles one might see in the popular fashion plates of the time. Most children’s clothing served functional purposes. Boys’ shirts and trousers would have buttoned to other underthings, as did some of the clothing for the girls. In looking at original children’s garments, that they were very utilitarian by their own design. Many of the styles of garments reproduced are taken from documented children's clothing of the era they represent.

        Accessory pieces encompass a large area of necessary items for the person wishing to create an accurate historical persona. One may start out with the dress, but it is what goes under the dress that will create the period silhouette. Accessory category includes both underpinnings and outerwear. (Most women don’t think about a coat or cape, until the temperatures fall into the range of “I’m chilly, dear. May I borrow your Greatcoat?” Nothing ruins a beautifully thought-out ensemble like a gentleman's greatcoat.) Perfect outer garments for you, along with a lovely bonnet, hood, or hat.

For years the Civil War era has held untold fascination for countless people. Historians have studied diaries and first-hand records of the war's events, military strategists have carefully reviewed the campaigns of generals on both sides, and historical societies have painstakingly preserved and restored the sites of many of the battles. There are those who go beyond this, however, when they undertake to show today's society what life was really like in the time of Lee and Grant. Immersing themselves in the culture, they step back in time several times a year to relive the period. These re-enactors, or living historians, are a window to the past.


To the casual observer, re-enacting may seem easy. You just find a long dress with a lot of lace on it and a full petticoat, and you’re ready to go, right? The truth is, finding the proper outfit to begin your Civil War era impression is not easy, but it is certainly worth the effort. Before beginning your garments, let’s look at some basic “rules” for ladies’ clothing during the Civil War.

1. Nearly every lady, whether young or old, would have worn a corset. These corsets were not always tightly laced, just pulled in to offer support to the back and bust area. As historical evidence shows, ladies even wore corsets while pregnant and nursing, known as “gestation” and nursing” stays.
2. Hoopskirts were not always a must. A lady of the working class would have worn a corded petticoat (an underskirt stiffened by horizontal rows of thick cording) or a small “cage” hoop. Upper-class ladies usually wore hoops that varied in size, depending upon their preference and the practicability of the dress/Hoops were usually somewhere between 90 and 120 inches in circumference.
3. The goal of popular fashions during the early 1860’s was to make the waist look small, a feat that did not require tight-lacing. The bodice’s shoulder seams dropped to between three and four inches below the point of the shoulder, making the shoulders appear wider. Sleeves were often full around the elbow, then fitted at the wrist. Bodice trim was horizontal rather than vertical, making the bust area appear larger in proportion to the waist. All of these features served to create the illusion of a small waist.
4. Cotton, wool and silk were the most popular fabrics for ladies’ dresses, cotton being the least expensive and silk the most. Solid fabrics were probably the favorite, according to most period photographs, followed by small checked designs, plaids and prints. Most gowns were trimmed on the sleeves and upper bodices; only more expensive or elaborate dresses had trimmings on the skirt. Skirt embellishments frequently included bands of contrasting fabric, “pinked” ruffles (with a decorative or regular pinking shear) or plain ruffles. Growth tucks were very common, especially on younger girls’ gowns, and could be as deep or narrow as the maker chose.
5. The majority of ladies’ gowns of the 1860’s were dart-fitted: tailored to the body by the use of two darts on each side of the bodice front closure. The back of the bodice was either a shaped three-piece back or a one-piece, tucked and stitched to resemble the 3-piece back. Some ladies employed the gathered-front bodice, rather than the darted, depending upon the fabric of the gown and choice of the wearer. Gathered bodices were still quite fitted to the body, being constructed over a darted lining. Narrow piping, cut on the bias, was used to reinforce seams and finish the waist and neckline edges.
6. Collars, cuffs and under sleeves were not optional “decorations” for the ladies of the period; they served a purpose in keeping body oils away from the costly materials of the gown. The collar and cuffs were hand-basted into the dress for easy removal and laundering. They were generally made of a durable cotton fabric that held up well under frequent washing and starching, and were typically white in color.

You have read the “rules” about ladies’ dress of the 1860’s; now is the time to apply these rules to your own re-enactment wardrobe. But where should the beginning re-enactor start? There is a wealth of “information” offered to the prospective buyer by sutlers and purveyors of reproduction goods, but this is often aimed more at selling you something rather than upholding standards of accuracy. What is necessary to start forming a basic lady’s impression? Here is a list to help you get started:

1. Begin with the inside and work outwards: start with a good, sturdy chemise, corset (or stay) and pair of drawers. Many people are tempted to “cheat” on the foundation garments, believing that these are items that they can add later at their leisure. However, you cannot achieve a proper silhouette until you have the correct undergarments, and you will never regret having begun at the beginning with your wardrobe. These items don’t have to be fancy; narrow tucks around the bottom edge of your drawers add a simple elegance to a very necessary garment. If you have the funds available, period-correct cage hoops are an excellent choice for your skirt support. They come either ready-made or in a kit, which you can construct yourself. Alternatively, a cotton “hoop skirt” with adjustable hoops, available from a number of sutlers and bridal shops, offers a less expensive choice. These hoops should be adjusted to a small size and secured (electrical tape wrapped around the metal hoop works well), and the length should be checked before you wear them. If the bottom rung of your hoop comes down below your ankle, the skirt is probably too long. Consider shortening the hoops by taking as many tucks as are necessary on the slip, between the rungs. At least one petticoat should be worn over the hoop, to “soften” the gown, and a petticoat may also be worn under the hoop, if more protection is desired.
2. Once you have your undergarments, begin on the dress. Remember, a simple, durable and well-made gown will be of far more service than a lavishly trimmed one. Simple doesn't mean dowdy, however, and there are vast ways to embellish a dart-fitted gown in keeping with a basic impression. If you have the funds, invest in a fine wool of good quality for your first gown; a sturdy cotton plaid or print is an excellent second choice. Consider “dressing up” your gown with a removable belt of self or contrasting fabric, a fine set of cuffs or a narrow lace-trimmed collar. A set of three or five tucks, from one to two inches in depth, adds spice to the hem of the dress; just be sure to figure in the added amount for each tuck when you cut out your skirt. Sleeves will vary with the style of the dress and the fabric chosen. Full “pagoda” sleeves should only be used with the fanciest of dresses. A more conservative choice would be a small, modified pagoda, a two-piece “coat” sleeve or a full sleeve gathered onto a cuff. If desired, dress up your gown with bias strips or braid sewn decoratively onto the bodice and sleeves, and don’t forget your cuffs or under sleeves!
3. The issue of footwear is rather a complex one to address, since finding period shoes is either extremely difficult or very expensive. Most “Granny boots” will not work for a Civil War impression, since the heels are too high, the toes are too pointed, and the boots themselves are too tall. A simple, round- or square-toed boot that laces up to the ankle and has a one-inch heel will fill the bill until period-correct shoes can be purchased. Knee-length cotton or wool stockings are a comfortable choice and should be secured with flat, no-roll elastic garters just under the knee.
4. Once you have gathered these elements for your wardrobe, “top” them off with a good period hair-do. CDV’s show us that all ladies of the 1860’s parted their hair down the center of their head; side parts were reserved for men. The hairstyles of the period were meant to emphasize the width of the face, and thus were smoothed outwards from the head, rather than upwards. “Rats” were used to create volume, and were pinned under the hair, starting at the upper side of the head and angling back to just behind the ear. A modern invisible hairnet, stuffed with hair from your brush, shaped into a long, tubular roll and stitched closed, makes a wonderful rat. Younger ladies’ styles were usually coils or braids of hair massed at the nape of the neck, while older ladies generally secured their hair higher on the head. Hairnets, or what are known as “snoods” today, were worn by some of the younger ladies, but these were always either knitted or crocheted of fine thread, never elastic. The nets would usually match the lady’s hair color closely and would be secured over already-styled hair.
5. Every lady should complete her 1860’s outfit with some sort of headgear, and the period options are quite varied to suit the tastes of all! Bonnets were very much in vogue during the Civil War. High- or low-crown, straw or silk, they were decked with flowers, fruit, feathers and ribbon. The bonnets from the early part of the war were lower, with an emphasis on the width of the face. Towards the end of the period, the bonnets grew taller, and the focus shifted to the top of the crown. Hats, most of them made of straw, were also quite popular, especially with the younger women. These were also trimmed with feathers, ribbon and flowers, and most had square crowns, rather than the rounded ones used in modern hats.