The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-11-04
How Senthern Women Dressed During
the War. ar


No part Of the story Of the selEeacrifce
with which the Southern people clune
to their hopeless cause has, excited more
surprise 10 the outside world than that
which tells of the difficulties of dress
under tto blockade. Hunger and cold,
ruined homes and hearthstoncs made
desolate-these were TO be expected e1
the legitimate evils OF war; but that
women, nurtured ia luxury, should will.
ingly submit TO wear old clothes and re-
main in ignorance rof the fashions---this,
it appears, was hcroism beyond belief. :
A riding dress, which was among the
sensations or Richmond during tho last
days OF the var, and which cost small
fortune in Confederate money, was worn
the next summer in Central Park--onIy
once, for it made its ,Searer alnpleassat
conspicuous. J.. was of fine gray Con.
federate army cloth, with the bodice
trimmed like the coat Of Confederate
brigadier, and fastened with Virginia
military buttons.
The bride who was married during the
daya of the CoDfederacy was seldom pos.
sessed Of an extensive; trowssedn. The
outfit considered ample for such one
would provoke the contemptuous pity Of
any modern belle. For instance, tho
daughter of an old, Virginia family,
whose name. is too well known for publ.
cation, in independent circumsta uces, for
purchase of whose troussedu in 1864 three
hogsheads Of tobacco were sold, had but
four new dresses-a white muslin wed.
ding robe, silk dinner-dress, popinctte
trimmed with furniture gimp-a costume
which, by the way, was much admired
and French merino. The tulle for her
bridal veil cost twelve hundred dollars
The ereath-far handsomer than any
which could have been bought Within
the Confederacy-hnd been her mother's.
The manufacture of homespun, al.
though pursued under many disadvanta.
women Of the South were as class by no
means the selfich; SELF. indulgent creatures
which they are represented to be in mod.
ern fiction. The mistress of plantation,
with largo number of slaves to care for,
held no sinecure. Among such there
were many notable housewives and good
managers, renowned among their ac-
quaintances not only as good cooke, but
for their homemade linens and hannels,
the blankets and bed-spreads of their
own manufacture which gained prizes ut
industrial fairs.
Onevery plantation there was o greater
or less number of women slaves unable
from physical disability to work in the
fields. 1t was necessary to provide EN-.
ployment for these, aud they we're trained
rs seamstresses, as epinners, and as weay-
ers. Such women took much pride in
their trades, and often became experts.
Besides these there was usually in every
ncighborhooL some family of poor whites
with n local reputation as weavers, who
earned living by doing fine " ork for
the wives of the neighboring planters,
either by day or job.
With these persons as leaders, all other
women were glad to follow, and home.
spun garments came rapidly into use.
The blockade runnsrs learned to make
dyeatnffs part Of their regular cargoes.
The wood and weeds Of the South ;furn-
ished many respectable dyes, none of
them brilliant, it is true, but by no
meahs to Dv despised where dye-stuffs
were scarce.
Necessarily, the most was made of
whatever materials were already on hand.
Dresses were turned and returned, pieced
and twisted, dyed and made over again
and again as long as they could be made
to hold together. They were. heightened
under founces or putfings, and black
waists in winter and white ones in sum.
mer was favorite fashion, which made
the skirts of. old dresses still ailable
when the original bodies were hupelessly
worn out. Literally nothing was thrown
away. Carrots were ransacked, old
chests yielded their forgotten boards,
and even the regbag was turned over
again that scraps which had been scorned
in days Of plenty might be made use of.
Melon waists became popular because
the many seams in them rendered the
narrowed strips of material available,
and when the fashion of gored skirts was
brought through the lines IL was hailed
with delight as requiring less stuff, than
those with straight breadths. Sewing
silk sold for $50 spool before Tho war
was ended, and embroidery silks were
scarce at any price. Small pieces Of EN-.
broideFy were often executed wifi silks
ravelled from odds and ends. of ribbons,
Female ingenuity, however, did wonders
Most Of the self-trimmings, as dressmls
ers term them, which ARE now in vogue,
figured on confederate dresses, preference
being given to such as required least ma
terial. Pleatings were little used but
folds, pipings, shirrings, Hounces, putting,
shell trimmings, &C., were ell moro OF
less popular. Narrow bias strips of silk,
pinked on b0th edges, and very scantily
gathered with the finest stitches through
the centre. were q favorite style for trim.
ming ibodices and heading flounces. Gill
braid and buttons, being military goods
we're of COURSE imported, and might be
had at fancy prices.
| These were thought handsome fol
trimming black bodices, the preferences
being for tiny ronnd gilt buttons set on
in double row down the front AZ a
the cuffs. Quillings of shirt braid were
used fer trimming French merinoes, red
or bius On bbiuck being the favorits con.
trast. Fancy straw braids. were used
with black lace on whito muslin waists
Calico dresses were finished off with
collars, cuffs, and bands, button. hole
! stitched in scollops on the edges In red OF
white embroidery-co.ion, or perhaps with
black elk. Button moulda covered with
the material were almost invariably worn
except when Others were already on hand
relics of time before the blockade
and not .unfrequently the moulds were o
pasteboard instead of wood.
Old black silk stockings were patiently
ravel!ed for sewing silE. Spool cotton
! never rose beyond twenty dollars q spool
and was therefore comparatively cheap
\ But since calico served for sny occa
sion on which demi-toilette ia adnniss:
bic, o new one; being considered hand,
some. dress, the dresses themselves were
| nor tho chiaf dffffct,ltv Tho r,nn,, a a