The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-11-06
DRESS UrDnR DrErxcyxrrEs.
HOW southern Women Managed During
uih War--Snm" interesting &emlnisoc nc.
4 of tho Years Of the blockade,

ID
From Harper's Bazaar
"A part OF the story Of the self.sacri
1lco with Which tho Southern peupl
cillng to their hopeless cause has Iex
cited more surprise in tho outside
world than that which tells Of tn,
tifti"ullics Of dress under the block
a"G;. i'un9cr and cold, ruined homes
and hcnrthstoncs made desolate-
t6cac were TO be expected as the lcgiti
mate evils Of war; but that women
iItrturcd in luxury, should willing
~ submit to wear old clothe!
and remain in.ignoraucc Of the tashio,
belief. 0'~
a riding-dresS, which was among
the sensations Of Richmond during
the last days Of the war, and whicf
cost small fortune in Confederate
money, was worn next summer in
Central Park--only once, for it made
its wearcr unplcasantly conspicuous
1t was OF fine gray Confederate army
cloth, with the bodice trimmed like
tho coat of Confederate brigadier
and fastened with Virginia military
buttons.
The manufacture of homcapun, al.
though pursued under many disadyan.
tages, was carried to great perfection
Tie women Of the South were as O
class ny no means tho selfish, self.in-
dulycnt creatures which thcy arc rcp.
resented to be in modern fiction. Tie
mistress OF plantation, with O large
family of slaves to care for, held no
sinccurc. Among such thcro were
many notable housewives and good
managers, renowned among their ac-
quaIntanccs not only as good cooks,
but for their homemade linens aud
1lannels, the blankets and bcd-spreads
OF their own manufacture which gain
cd prizes ut industrial fairs.
On every plantation there was Il
greater or less number Of women
slaves unable from physical disability
to work in The field. 1t was necessary
to provide employment for those, and
thcy were trained as scamstresscs, as
spiimcrs and as wcavers. Such wo-
men took much pride in their trades
and often became experts. Besides
these there was usually in every neiuh-
borhood soIno family of poor whites
with u local reputation as wcayers,
who earned q living by doing fine
work Tor the wives Of tho noighbor-
ing planters, either by the day or the
With these persons as leaders, all
other women were glad to follow, and
honospun garments came rapidly into
use. The blockade runners learned to
mako dyc-stutfs part of their regular
cargocs. The wood and weeds Of the
South furnished many respectable
dyes, none of them brilliant, it is true,
but by no means to be dcspiscd where
dyc-sluils were scarce.
Necessarily the most was made of
whatever materials wcrc already on
hand. Dresses were turned md re-
turned, picccd and twisted, dyed, aud
made over again and again as they
could DC made to hold together. They
were heightened under tlounccs or
putiinSs, and black waists in winter
!tnd white ones in summer was q
layoritc lashion, which made the
skirts of old dresses still available
when the original bodies were hone
lessly worn out. Literally nothing
was thrown away. Carrots were ran
sacked, old chests yielded their for
%oiicn boards, and even the rag-bag
was turned over again so that scraps
winch had been scorncd in days of
plenty might be made use Of. Melon
waists became popular because the
many seams in them rendered the
n"rrowcst strips OF material available,
and when the fashion Of gorcd skirts
was brought through the lines. it was
hailed with delight as requiring less
stun than, those with straight brcadths.
Sewing silk sold for 500 u. spool be-
fore th" war was ended, and cmbroidc-
iy silks were scarce at any price.
small pieces of embroidery were often
with silks ravcllcd from odds
al'u cuNS OF ribbons. Female inge-
nu;ly, however, did wonders. Most
OF thc srll-trimmings, as drcss-makcrs
Term lnch', which are now in vogue,
figured on Confederate dresses, prefer
chcc being given TO such as required
lcast material. Plcatings were little
M>ed; bnt folds, pippings, shirrings,
llonhcc"', putting, shell trimmings, &C.,
Were, all more or less popular. Mar
row bias strips of silk, pinkcd on both
edges, and very scantily gathered with
the finest stitches through the centre,
were a favolitc style for trimming
bodies and heading nounccs. Gilt
pralo ana buttons, being military
goods, were of course imported, and
might be had at fancy prices.
These were thought handsome for
trimming black bodies, the preferences
being for tiny round gilt buttons set
on In double row down the front
and on the cuffs. Quilting Of shirt
braid were used for trimming French
merinocs, rcd or blue on black being
the tavoritc contrast. Fancy straw
braids were used with black lace on
white muslin waists. Calico dresses
were finished of with collars, cuffs
and bands, button holo stitched in
scallops on the edges in rod or white
emDroidery cotton, or perhaps with
black silk. Button molds covered with
tho material were almost invariably
worn, except when others were nj.
ready on hand-relics Of n timc before
the blockadc-and not mfrcouently
inc moulds were Of pastcboard instead
Of wood.
Old black silk stockings were IA.
ticntly ravcl!cd for sewing silk. Spool
cotton never rose beyond twenty dol.
lars spool, and was therefore com.
parativcly cheap.
ISnt ciOrn a nnl,.o ,,,,,.1 O.