The women's fashions featured in the slide above date from just before the Civil War, 1858, until two years after its end, 1867, and are shown in chronological order. These beautiful hand-colored plates were featured in Godey's Lady's Book, one of the leading American women's periodicals of its day.

Included are over 30 images of women and girls in various forms of dress before, during, and immediately after the War. We will be adding more detailed black-and-white images of hair, hats, and other items in the near future, as well as men's dress, both civilian and military.

Each image downloads separately, which means there will be a pause between viewing each image - roughly 1-3 seconds on a 56K modem. You can watch the status of each download in the lower-left corner of your browser's window (Netscape and IExplorer). Once all images are downloaded, the pause is eliminated and you can cycle through the slide at your leisure.


"Battle Cry of Freedom" sequenced by Barry Taylor

Short Glossary of Clothing Terms 1858-1867

  • AGNES SOREL CORSAGE: bodice with square neckline and bishop sleeved.
  • ALBANIAN ROBE: garment having flounces with colored stripes from shoulder to waist with shape of a stomacher.
  • AMADIS SLEEVE: sleeve pleated at top armhole, hidden beneath an epaulette and tight from elbow to wrist, with a row of buttons at wrist.
  • BABY FRENCH HEEL: small low heel curved inward at lower part.
  • BASQUE: outer part of dress sewed to boned bodice.
  • BAVOLET: flounce sewed to back of bonnet, covering hair and neck.
  • BLOOMERS: loose ORiental trousers gathered at knee, first made popular by Amelia Bloomer in 1851.
  • BOLERO: short small jacket with rounded front corners.
  • BOOT: ankle high shoe
  • BOURNOUSE: fringed, knee-length mantle with hood.
  • BOWLER (aka DERBY HAT): stiff, felt hat with low, rounded crown and a narrow brim; bowler is British term with slightly wider brim and a slight roll at sides
  • BRACES: suspenders or suspender-like straps worn by men, extending from front waist belt, over the shoulder to belt in back.
  • BUSTLE: device worn by women to hold costume away from the body at back, made from various materials in different sizes and shapes.
  • CACHE-PEINGE: headdress of net and ribbon used to hold mass of hair on back of head.
  • CANEZOU: sleeveless outer garment created from the spencer; later defined as a necktie.
  • CAPOTE: mid-Victorian bonnet with ribbon bows tied at side or front.
  • CARACO: loose fitting jacket with wide revers.
  • CASAQUE: close-fitting jacket fastened or buttoned to neck, with skirt fringed in lace.
  • CATOGAN: hair arrangement of loose curls and plaits tied at top of head with ribbon.
  • CHAMBORD MANTLE: hooded cloak of velvet or satin resembling a shawl with deep folds in back.
  • CHEMISE: loose undergown of white linen or gauze.
  • CHEMISETTE A JABOT: pleated or embroidered jabot visible between neck and waist in opening of redingote.
  • CHIGNON: heavy twist or knot of natural or false hair; worn both high and low on head.
  • COLLEEN BAWN CLOAK: white grenadine cloak with large cape held up by rosettes on back.
  • CRINOLETTE: small crinoline or pannier of steel.
  • CRINOLINE: stiff unpliable material used to support or stiffen dress, also given name of steel springs forming a type of cage or hoop used to extend skirt; sometimes used in entire petticoat.
  • CROQUET BOOT: wide laced footwear with tassels front and back.
  • DERBY: same as bowler.
  • DUNDREARYS (aka DUNDREARY WHISKERS AND PICCADILLY WEEPERS: long side whiskers worn by Lord Dundreary, a character in Tom Taylor's Our American Cousin.
  • EMPIRE JUPON: petticoat with gores and 2-3 steel frames at bottom.
  • ENGAGEANT: flounce of lace showing below below a bell-shaped loose sleeve.
  • EPAULETTE: shoulder ornament.
  • FALDETTA: small colored taffeta mantle.
  • FANCHON CAP: small lace cap worn in daytime.
  • FICHU: light-weight three-cornered scarf of shawl.
  • FIGARO JACKET: close-fitting short jacket with epaulettes on shoulders and cut away sides in the style of Bolero jackets.
  • FONTANGE TRIMMING: gathered ribbon or band in which a colored ribbon passes.
  • FROCK COAT: double breasted coat with long skirt of equal length front and back.
  • GABRIELLE DRESS: princess dress with box pleat in back and the bodice and skirt cut in one piece.
  • GABRIELLE SLEEVE: sleeve with multitude of puffs top to bottom.
  • GAITER: covering for anke or instep, sometimes going to knee.
  • GARIBALDI JACKET: military style jacket of scarlet cashmere. Also used to define separate blouse buttoned up front and tucked into skirt.
  • GARIBALDI SHIRT: shirt of bright scarlet merino decorated with black braid and buttons on front.
  • GILET: vest or short waistcoat.
  • GLADSTONE COLLAR: a standing collar with flared sides and worn with a silk scarf-like tie.
  • HOOP: circular framework used to expand woman's skirt (aka crinoline)
  • HUG-ME-TIGHT: hand-knitted or crocheted underjacket with with cape-like sleeves
  • IMPERIAL: small tuft of hair or beard.
  • INVERNESS CAPE: full sleeveless cape fitting close around neck.
  • ISABEAU STYLE: one-piece cut bodice and skirt.
  • JUPON: underskirt made of same fabric as skirt or of a contrasting material and color.
  • JENNY LIND COSTUME: dress with off-shoulder neckline and hoop skirt with three lace ruffles, made popular by Jenny Lind, the "Swedish Nightingale".
  • MAINTENON: embroidered shawl-like garment with broad pleated flounce.
  • MANON ROBE: one-piece garmetn with pleat in back resembling Watteau pleat, extending from under the collar to bottom of skirt.
  • MANTELETTE: outdoor garment with long scarf, coming to deep point in front and held in place by inner belt attached at back, usually trimmed in fringe.
  • MATILLA: Spanish veil draped over head
  • MANTLET MATILDE: shawl-like garmet with taffeta in front and trimmed in fringe.
  • MARY STUART CAP: small heart-shaped cap draped bag-like in back.
  • MONOCLE: eyeglass for one eye.
  • NEWGATE FRINGES: short whiskers forming a fringe around the chin.
  • NIGHTCAP: small cap worn at nighttime.
  • PAGE: elastic band used to loop up a skirt.
  • PAGODA SLEEVE: funnel-shaped sleeve, tight above and gradually widening at the wrist with several ruffles.
  • PAISLEY SHAWL: copy of an Indian shawl made in Paisley, Scotland.
  • PANNIER PUFF: puff formed by looping the upper skirt
  • PATENT-TILTER: graduated rounds of steel wire run into a muslin or calico petticoat and held together with tape. When in use, omitted need for numerous padded skirts otherwise worn.
  • PEIGNOR: dress with bishop sleeves and boneless bodess.
  • PELISSE ROBE: pelisse garment trimmed down front with ribbon knot and worn open over petticoat.
  • PEPLUM: short skirt of the bodice
  • PETTICOAT: separate skirt-like undergarment.
  • PICCADILLY WEEPERS: see Dundrearys.
  • POKE BONNET: bonnet with projecting fringe in front.
  • POLONAISE: dress with fullness in back where a sash was tied into a bow.
  • PORK PIE HAT: hat with dish-shaped fold in crown.
  • QUIZZING GLASS: glass for magnifying.
  • REDINGOTE: pelisse robe with horizontal trimming
  • RETICULE: small bag carried by women.
  • ROTONDE: short circular mantle which matched a dress.
  • RUSSIAN JACKET: a sleeveless short coat.
  • RUSSIAN VEST: loose blouse resembling a Garibaldi jacket.
  • SACK COAT: loose fitting coat with short high lapels.
  • SHIRTWAIST: masculine form of waist with high collar and cuffs.
  • SORTIE DE BAL: cashmere cloak with satin or silk quilted lining.
  • SPENCER: short jacket with turnover collar and lined in fur when worn in winter.
  • SURTOUT: similar to a paletot but with peplum pointing backward.
  • TALLIEN REDINGOTE: see Polonaise.
  • TALMA MANTLE: circular cloak of velvet or satin, usually hooded, resembling a shawl, sometimes with collar or cape.
  • TOURNURE: French bustle used to replace petticoats; made with steel springs passed through shirring across the back with front secured by strings.
  • VEIL: thin cloth draped over head, sometimes to cover face. Used for modesty and mourning.
  • VICTORIA MANTLE: knee-length collared mantle with wide hanging sleeves and a deep colored border for decoration.
  • WAISTCOAT: prelude to present day vest.
  • WATERPROOF COAT: outdoor garment worn for protection against rain, with or without cape.
  • WATTEAU BODY: dress with low square neck, ribbon bows down front and elbow sleeves with deep ruffles.
  • WATTEAU ROBE: ball dress with low square neckline and ribbon bows down front.
  • WELLINGTON BOOT: boot worn with riding habit.
  • ZOUAVE JACKET: loose short jacket in military style. Chemisette was usually seen at neck and below the 3 quarter length sleeve of jacket.

Civil War Event Timeline to follow....

 

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