The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-10-14
DRESS uSDER DIFF. .CULrIEs.
f,Iarper,s BszarJ

ring the Blockades Of she War.
(liarper's BszaEI
No part OF the story OF the self-sacriflce
with which the southern people clung to
their hopeless cause has excited more sur.
prise in the outside world than that which
tells OF the difficulties OF dress under the
blockade. Hunger and cold, ruined homes
and hearth-stones made des0ate--these
were 10 be expected as the legitimate evils
OF war; but that women. nurtured in lux
ury, should willingly submit 10 wear old
clothes and remain In ignorance OF the
fasbion-tbls, it appears, was beroism be-
yopd belief.
A riding-dress, which was among the sem
satIops OF. Richmond during the last
days OF the war, and which cost small
fortune in Confederate money, was worn
the next summer In Central Park-only
once, for IL made It's wearer unpleasantly
cons picuous. 1t was OF fine gray Confed-
crate army cloth. with the bodice trimmed
like the coat Of Confederate brigadier,
and fastened with Virginia military but
| tons.
| The bride who was married during the
days OF the Confederacy was seldom pos
sessed OF an extensive trousseda. The out
fit considered ample for such one would
provoke the coDtempiu0us pity OF any
modern belle. For instance, the daughter
of an old Virginia family. whose name Is
too well known for publication, In inde-
pendent circumstances. for the purchase OF
whose trOusSedu In 1864 three hogsheads OF
tobacco were sold, had but four new
dresses-a white muslin weddiDg-robe, a
silk dinner.dress, popinette trimmed with
| furniture gimp-a costume Whlch, Oy tue
way, was much admred-and French
merino. The tulle for her bridal-yeil cost
twelve hundred dollars. The wreath-far
haIdsomer than any which could have been
bought within the Confederacy, had been
| her mothers.
The manufacture OF homespun, although
pursued under many disadvantages, was
carried to great perfection. The women OF
the South were ss class by no means the
selfish, seli-indugent creatures which they
are represented to be in modern fiction.
The mistress OF a plantation, with large
family OF slaves 10 care for, held no sinecure.
Among such there were many notable
housewives and good managers, renowned
among their acquantances not only az
GOOD cooks. but for their homemade linens
and 1annels. the blankets and bed-spreads
OF their own manufacture which gained
prizes at industrial fairs.
On every plantation there was greater
or less number OF women slaves unable
from physical disability to work IN the
fields. 1t was necessary 10 provide EN-
ployment for these, and they were trained
as seamstresses, as spinners. and as weav'
ers. Such women took much pride in theil
trades, and often became experts. Beside:
these there was usually in every neighbor
hood some family Of poor whites with
local reputation as weavers, who earned
living by doing fine work for the wives o.
the neighboriDg planters, either by the day
or job.
With these persons as leaders, all othel
women were glad to follow, and homespur
garments came rapidly into use. The
blockade runners learned to make dye
stuffs part of their regular cargoess The
wood and weeds Of the South furnished
many respectable dyes, none OF them bril-
liant, IL is true, but by no means to be de
spised where dye-stuffs were scarce.
Necessarily the most was made OF what
ever materials were already on hand
Dresses were turned aud returned, piecet
and twisted, dyed, and made over again ant
epain as long as they could be made IN hole
together. They were heightened undel
fouuces or pufIings, and black waists IL
winter and white ones IN summer was
fayorite fashion, which made the skirts o
old dresses still available when the origina
bodies were hopelessly worn out. LITERAL!
nothing was thrown away. Carrots wer'
ransacked, old chests yielded thei
forgotten boards, and even the rag
bae was turned over again that scrap
which had been scorned in days o
plenty might be made use Of. Melon-walst'
became popular because the many seams il
them rendered the narrowest strips OF ma
terial available, and when the fashion o
gored skirts was brought through the line
It was hailed with delight as requiring les
stuff than those with straight breadths
sewing-silks sold for $50 spool before th
war was ended, and embr0idery-silks wer
scarce at any price. Small pieces OF embro
dery were often executed with silks raycl
led from odds and eLds Of ribbons. Femal
, ingenuity, however, did wonders. Mos
OF the self-trmmiugs, as dressmskers teri
them, which are now in vogue, figured o
Confederate dresses, preference being give
, | to such as required least material. Plea
: incs were little used; but folds, piping:
, shirrings, flounces, putting, shell trimming
, ETC., were all more or less popular. Narro'
bias strips OF silk, pinked on both edge
and very scantiIy gathered with the fine:
, stitches through the centre, were fayorlt
stvle for trimming bodices and headin
founces. Gilt braid and buttons, bein
: military goods, were Of course imported
ani might be had at fancy prices.
! These were thought handsome for trim
! ming black bodices, the preferences bein
for tiny round gilt buttons set on in dol
q BILE row down the front and on the cufi
[ Ouilngs Of skirt-braid were used for trim
e ming French merinoes, red or blue o
!. black being the favorlte contrast. Fanc
: straw braids were used with black lace
: white muslin waists. Calico dresses wei
d finished of with collars, cuffs. and band
I button-hole stitched in scollops on the edge
p ip red or white neutrality-suspicious., or pc
, haps with black silk. Button-mouds CO.
5 cred with the material were almost invarl
:. bIy worn, except when others were alread
I on hand-relics OF time before the bloc
0 ade-and not unfrequent'y the moulds wei
o OF pasteboard instead OF wood.
a Old black silk stockings were patient
v rayelIed for sewing-silk. Spool-cotton new
$ rose beyond twenty dollars spool, and WI
9 therefore comparatively cheap.
e But since calico served for any oceasio
d on which q demi-toilette Is admissible,
n new one being considered handsome dres
r the dresses themselves were not the cni
d difficulty. The many accessories OF u
q toilet, upon which so much depends' we
J. almost unattainable. Ribbons ana lac
|. were scarce. Those on hand were careiul
,s treasured, and cravats and bows we
e deity manufactured from scraps OF SIX:
e Nets for the hair were crochsted OF pla
Il th.nA AxxTa