UNDERGARMENTS
 | UNDERGARMENTS CONSIST OF CORSETS, CORSET OVER, PANTALOONS, MODESTY SLIP, CHEMISE, PETTICOAT, OVER PETTICOAT, AND STOCKINGS. |
CORSET
| THE USE OF A CORSET WAS TO MAKE THE WAIST LOOK SMALLER ESPECIALLY IN COMPARISON TO THE SHOULDERS AND HIPS. |
| CORSETS ARE NOT REQUIRED. AS FOR MOST PEOPLE THEY CONSIDER THEM STOMACHERS OR JUST A PAIN TO WEAR. THEY TEND TO BE EXPENSIVE. |
CHEMISE
| CHEMISES ARE SHORT SLEEVED, LOOSE, SHIFT LIKE GARMENTS. THEY OFTEN HAD GUSSETS AT THE ARMHOLE TO ABSORB PERSPIRATION. |
PANTALOONS / DRAWERS
| PANTALOONS WERE WORN BY BOTH WOMEN AND GIRLS. PANTALOONS LOOK LIKE OUR EVERY DAY PANTS. THEY WERE MUCH LOOSER AND MADE OF WHITE COTTON MATERIAL. THEY WERE DECORATED WITH FLAT TUCKS, OPENWORK EMBROIDERY AND LACE. |
| DRAWSTRINGS OR BUTTONS WERE USED TO HOLD THE PANTALOONS UP IN THE WAIST LINE. |
STOCKINGS
| STOCKINGS WERE THIGH HIGH. THEY WERE MADE OUT OF KNITTED WOOL, COTTON SILK. COLORS VARIED. YOU CAN WEAR 100% COTTON STOCKINGS OR EVERYDAY STOCKINGS. EVERYDAY STOCKINGS WERE NOT PERIOD. |
HOOPS (CRINOLINES AND CORDED PETTICOATS)
| FLOUNCED HOOP COTTON CONSISTS OF 4 BONE, 6 BONE, AND 6 BONE LONG |
| PLAIN HOOPS CONSIST OF 3,4,6, 6 BONE TALL |
| BLACK HOOPS ARE WORN FOR MOURNING IMPRESSION ONLY! |
| CRINOLINES AND COVERED CRINOLINES USUALLY NOT WORN |
| HOOPS WERE NOT ALWAYS NECESSARY OR PRACTICAL FOR CERTAIN EVENTS. THE HOOP WAS AN ITEM OF UNDERGARMENT FOR THE CIVIL WAR WOMEN. IT IS TO ATTAIN THE FULLNESS OF THE SKIRT SO DESIRABLE IN THE CURRENT FASHION. A WOMEN WOULD HAVE TO WEAR NUMEROUS PETTICOATS. THIS WOULD BE SEVERAL EXTRA POUNDS OF CLOTHING. A WOMEN ONLY NEEDS A HOOP AND SOMETIMES A PETTICOAT. A PETTICOAT WAS WORN UNDERNEATH THE HOOP FOR MODESTY THE OTHER OVER TOP TO GIVE A SMOOTH LINE TO THE SKIRT. |
| THE HOOP CAN BE A FIRE HAZARD AT TIMES. MOST IMPORTANTLY SAFETY COMES FIRST. HOOPS CAN BE VERY HAZARDERS BY THE CAMP FIRE. PLEASE NEVER WEAR A HOOP AROUND THE CAMP FIRE ESPECIALLY FOR THE WORKING WOMEN OR NURSES . WORKING WOMEN AND NURSES WOULD USE A SMALLER HOOP OR NONE AT ALL. |
APRONS
| AN APRON IS THE MOST SINGLE USEFUL ITEM OF CLOTHING YOU CAN ACQUIRE. YOU HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND EXPENSE INTO YOUR REENACTMENT (ING) GARMENTS. YOU WILL WANT TO PROTECT IT FROM DIRT AND DAMAGE WHILE COOKING/ PREPARING MEALS, TENDING THE WOUNDED.... |
| YOU CAN USE IT FOR MANY THINGS, POT HOLDER, SITTING ON IT, DISGUISE ACCIDENTAL RIPS.... |
| APRONS USUALLY WERE WORN TO PROTECT THE SKIRT/DRESS. SOME APRONS HAVE A BIB TO PROTECT THE FRONT OF THE BODICE. APRON BIBS DO NOT HAVE SHOULDER OR NECK STRAPS. THE BIB ATTACHED TO THE BODICE WITH STRAIGHT PINS. |
| APRONS WOULD BE MADE OUT OF FLOUR SACKS, OLD BLANKETS AND OLD DRESSES. YOU CAN PURCHASE THESE OR MAKE ONE YOURSELF FROM LEFTOVER FABRICS, SHEETS OR MUSLIN. |
FOOTWEAR
| AS WE ALL NOW REPRODUCTION BOOTS CAN BE EXPENSIVE AND MAY NOT BE AS COMFORTABLE AS OUR DAILY WERE SHOES. |
| ALTERNATIVES- FIND MODERN FOOT WEAR THAT RESEMBLES PERIOD/REPRODUCTION FOOTWEAR. |
| LADIES FASHIONABLE BOOTS AND SHOES OF THE DAY WERE LACED UP IN THE FRONT OR ON THE INSIDE OF THE SHOE. LOOK FOR EYELETS ALL THE WAY UP THE FRONT. |
| SHOES AND STYLISH FOOTWEAR WERE NARROW AND WERE VERY NARROW IN THE TOE. LADIES PLEASE CONSIDER YOUR OWN FEET BEFORE CONSIDERING A NARROW SHOE OR BOOT-- ITS NOT WORTH IT. |