Civil War Era Fashion Plate - January 1865 Peterson's Magazine Fashions for January Fig 1 - Ball Dress of White Silk, trimmed with bands of crimson velvet, over which falls a broad flounce of white lace. The body is made to correspond with the skirt. Head-dress of crimson velvet. Fig 2- Ball Dress of Lemon-Colored Satin. The skirt is trimmed with a flounce of white lace and ruchings of satin. The body is finished to correspond. Head-dress of small ostrich plumes.
Civil War Era Fashion Plate - October 1863 Godey's Lady's Book Description of Steel Fashion-Plate for October Fig 1 - Dress of a light golden cuir-colored silk. The skirt is edged with a box-plaited ruffle, and above it is a row of black guipure lace. Rows of guipure insertion are arranged en tablier up the front of the skirt, and in bands and pointed devices round the skirt. The corsage is made with points in front, and a square jockey at the back. The sleeves are cut with an elbow; and both sleeves and corsage richly trimmed with guipure insertion. A narrow fluted ruff is round the neck of the dress, fastened in front by a clerical bow. The hair is arranged over a roller in front, and ornamented with a scarlet velvet bow. Fig 2 - Dinner-dress of Irish poplin. The skirt is trimmed with narrow ruffles of pinked silk, the exact shade of the dress. These ruffles are about three-quarters of a yard long, and arranged slanting on the skirt; each ruffle is headed by a fancy trimming formed of narrow black velvet, and finished off at the top by a bow of narrow velvet. The corsage is low, and made with a bertha, trimmed to match the skirt. The guimpe and sleeves are of embroidered French muslin, finished with muslin ruffs. The hair is rolled in front, and arranged in a waterfall at the back, tied with a blue ribbon. A broad plait encircles the hood and fastens beneath the waterfall. Fig 3 - Child's dress of white pique, embroidered in white and red, and trimmed with a box-plaited trimming of scarlet worsted braid. The dress is low, and with short sleeves. The guimpe is of fine French muslin. Fig 4 - Dress of black alpaca, trimmed with crimson velvet cut in leaves, and arranged as a bordering above the hem of the skirt and round the jacket. The sleeves are cut with an elbow, and trimmed with velvet and drop buttons to match the waist. The hair is parted on one side, and arranged in a braid at the back. Fig 5 - Dinner dress of lavender silk, with a narrow fluting on the edge of the skirt. The overskirt is of a rich black silk, cut in deep points, trimmed with thread lace, and headed by a narrow bugle trimming. The corsage is made in one piece, although it has the appearance of a black jacket over a lavender silk waist. It is trimmed with black lace, which forms a jockey at the back. The hair is dressed in rolls and puffs, and ornamented with flowers. Fig 6 - Visiting dress of a rich green silk. The skirt is cut a half yard short, deeply pointed, and trimmed with narrow velvet. Under this skirt is fastened a deep flounce, set on with a little fulness, and very elegantly braided with black velvet. The corsage, sleeves, and sash are braided to match.
Civil War Era Fashion Plate - January 1864 Peterson's Magazine Fashions for January Fig 1 - Ball Dress of white silk, trimmed with black and white lace. Fig 2 - Evening Dress of blue silk, trimmed, around the bottom, with a deep flounce, headed by a thick chenille cord. Above the flounce is a deep white chenille fringe, headed by a cord of the same. Backs of white chenille.
Civil War Era Fashion Plate - May 1860 Peterson's Magazine Fashions for May Fig 1 - Dress of apple green silk - The skirt is trimmed at intervals with pointed pieces of green silk trimmed with black fringe. The body is high, and is also trimmed with fringe. The sleeves are tight at the lower part of the arm, and have three puffs at the upper part. A white cuff, ornamented with lace, finishes the lower part of the sleeve. Head-dress of green velvet, and long, white ostrich plume. Fig 2 - Dress of thin white muslin - The skirt is plain, but is relieved by the broad ends of black velvet which fall from the waist. A Swiss body of black velvet is cut quite low, and above it is a white puffed body, gathered lengthwise, and between each puff is a row of narrow black velvet. Short sleeves with three puffs.
The 1860s were a time of great conflict and stress, but that didn't mean that formal Civil War-era dresses were suddenly less extravagant -- they were anything but.
Magasin des Demoiselles, September 1861. LAPL Visual Collections.
Magasin des Demoiselles, June 1858. LAPL Visual Collections.
Le Bon Ton, June 1858. LAPL Visual Collections.
Le Follet, July 1861. LAPL Visual Collections.
Le Bon Ton, December 1860. LAPL Visual Collections.
Le Bon Ton, January 1857. LAPL Visual Collections. As a small caveat, the first two dresses are most likely masquerade costumes.
Le Bon Ton, August 1858. LAPL Visual Collections.
From Les Modes Parisiennes. Underneath the print are the names of the shops where the clothing's, perfumes, porcelains, flowers, etc., depicted in the engraving, are to be obtained. In the later quarter of the 19th century there was a proliferation of women's magazines. These periodicals, whose circulation in great numbers, created heightened interest in clothing, needlework and household decor. The average homemaker was exposed to the latest in Parisian fashions. If she had some skill as a dressmaker or the money to employ one she could replicate the dresses depicted in these magazines. The hand-colored French fashion engraving was responsible for filtering the new styles throughout the major cities of Europe, America and Japan and thus represented great wealth to the clothing industry of Paris. No expense was spared to commission talented engravers and colorists for these beautiful works of art.
Fashion plate from La Mode Illustrée, 1862
Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine, September, 1864, Volume LXIX, (Volume 69), Philadelphia, Louis A. Godey, Sarah Josepha Hale, 90 pages scanned from a full...
I found this wonderful photo a while ago, and it reminded me of how I love stripy dresses. So another post with pretty pictures, of 1850’s and ’60’s striped dresses Of cour…
The 1860s were a time of great conflict and stress, but that didn't mean that formal Civil War-era dresses were suddenly less extravagant -- they were anything but.
The 1860s were a time of great conflict and stress, but that didn't mean that formal Civil War-era dresses were suddenly less extravagant -- they were anything but.
Civil War Era Fashion Plate - January 1865 Peterson's Magazine Fashions for January Fig 1 - Ball Dress of White Silk, trimmed with bands of crimson velvet, over which falls a broad flounce of white lace. The body is made to correspond with the skirt. Head-dress of crimson velvet. Fig 2- Ball Dress of Lemon-Colored Satin. The skirt is trimmed with a flounce of white lace and ruchings of satin. The body is finished to correspond. Head-dress of small ostrich plumes.
Fashion Plate ca.1861
Fashion plate from Le Moniteur de la Mode, 1856.
Today's post was contributed by my friend and fabulous costumer Sue Woods. I am always flabbergasted by her beautiful handmade historical costumes as well as drool worthy collection of vintage clothing. I knew she would be the perfect person to give us all some tips on how to get started with Victorian costuming, especially the
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Le Follet, March 1863. LAPL Visual Collections.
