The Ladies TeaStop in and grab a quick cup of tea! All sorts of ladies issues are disscussed here. Both Ladies and Gentlemen are welcome to join in the conversations.
My DH has finally "bit the bullet" and joined a reenactment group! He is in a Confederate Artillery group and has signed us all (me and the two boys) up. This first weekend was his first chance to get to an event and see what all goes on. It was a rainy, muddy, cold weekend and all of the ladies that was in camp was dressed for the weather. Not their best, so to speak. Well he is convinced that they dress in their "work clothes" all of the time and is trying to discourage me from buying any pretty colorful clothes!! OH NO!!!! I want to have the pretty clothes!! boo hoo
Who is right? Me or him? And another question...
Does it have to be a dress? Or can it be a skirt and shirt?
How is Ebay for buying items?
Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated!!!
From the links that I have seen posted here, I think I am right.
haha
I don't know if you would be able to find something on ebay, I would trust a sutler, or try making your own. gowns can be very expensive...
I haven't been to many reenactments, but the few I have been to, the women dressed up for one or so of the days, but most of the time, if they are tending the fire or whatever, are in work clothes. (it isn't very authentic for the ladies to be in camp with the unit at all, but who wants to spend the weekend with family away from the family)
At National Skirmishes they have dress comeptions which looks like fun, and there the women who compete are almost always in their beautiful gowns.
Tell the stingy SOB that if he wants to have any fun at the reenactments, his lady must also have fun. If that means a fancy dress, the means to acquire one must be explored.
I've attended a few reenactments (strictly as a spectator) and at most of them, there were some ladies dressed very well and hanging around indoors. There were also some in the camp tending the fire, baking, etc., in work clothes.
Do what makes you happy, and then hubby will be happy as well.
Been there; done that.
Ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
I'll just throw in my 2 cents here and agree with Ole that the gentleman should make his lady happy if he's asked her to participate in his hobby. Beyond that I'll refrain from further comment... I mean I don't want to interfere with a family discussion. I believe that's the number one cause of cops being shot isn't it? or close to it? I'll just leave it at that.
Terry
__________________ "In this great struggle, this form of Government and every form of human right is endangered if our enemies succeed. There is more involved in this contest than is realized by every one." Abraham Lincoln - August 18, 1864 Speech to the 164th Ohio Regiment
Let's just leave it at "If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."
Ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
Ma'am,
Welcome to the board & to Civil war Re-enacting.I am not a expert on the civilian side of things at reenactments but I am expanding my knowledge on the subject since most of the men in the ranks were civilians before the war broke out.. and returned to that afterwards.
I agree with Ole if the woman of the house ant happy no one is! But... to answer your question .. your hubby is right.
If I am following you right you are looking for the "Gone with the Wind" Look?
Remember "GWTW' was a fictional movie and based on the upper social class of society of the south. Now the upper social class it kind of hard to portray being that you don't have a plantation home, servants, fine china etc. near plus they would not have been near or with the armies.. and when the armies cam close to them they were usually first ones to leave because they had a way to.
Now the ladies that were with the army were sometimes cooks, officers wives (during times when they armies where in the same spot) Laundresses, and in some cases women dressed as men. So basically they were there doing work.. So the work dress would be a more appropriate. plus you wouldn't want to ruin a beautiful gown by being out in the mud, rain, and snow.
Know if you can get hubby out on the dance floor at the Ball you may want a fancier dress.
I would first ask and take hints from other ladies in your unit before you perchase anything and he will need to do so as well with the uniform.
If you have any other quests feel free to ask If I cant answer it I sure someone else on here can or we can point in a direction where you can get a answer.
Kindest regards,
Steven Cone
__________________ Steven Noel Cone Living Historian and Battlefield Preservationest
"Silver Spring Mess" ; "Citizens of the Bonnie Blue" ; "46th Tn Inf. Co. K"
ok, this is where I must say: DRESS IT UP WOMAN!!!!
Even the poorest of women had at least one fancy dress that was worn on Sunday's for church. More then likely it was the dress she may have been married in as well.
You need to look at what you want to personafy. If you want to protray the upper crust of society you could tell people that your husband was in politics before joining the war. That happened allot. But as I do living histroy, I don't have the restraints of a first person impression. Plus my husband is a blacksmith and made more then any infantry soldier, so I was the middle class and could dress very nicely.
Gone with the Wind is accurate to a point. They did take a few liberties in the reconstruction area of the movie, but as far as the dresses at the begining, they are accurate. I have seen dresses similar to those in museums, and in documentation. Yes they were of the upper crust, but there is no reason you can't look pretty.
You could also say that you are visiting your husband at the lines, and thus would have worn your city clothes as well.
The major problem I have with allot of re-enactments is the "cookie cutter" look everyone is getting. Where they all have to be in work dresses or in drab colors. Guess what, that wasn't always the case. When we are out on site and people ask us about our clothes, we tell them that we would not have followed the army, but it's a little hard for us to drag a Victorian house all over the place.
Go to the "Ah the dresses" thread here in the Ladies Tea and check out some of the dresses posted there. You will see museum pieces and cdv's of ladies in dresses that are not boring by any means. And you can also dress up a simple dress by just adding trim, like fringe or lace.
Hope that helps, and if your hubby has issue with it, send him to me, I can have a show down with him!
Oh. P.S.: I have two dresses that I am selling myself, just cause I'm not fond of them any more. When you make your own, it's easy to move to things around. If you are interested, give me a pm message, and we can talk.
Well first I have to thank the kindly gentlemen on this board! I was very surprised to see that you menfolk had an opinion about the ladies! lol
But thank you sooooo much for all of your thoughts and well wishes. I have let him read what you ladies and gentlemen have wrote and he is starting to see things my way. (Much thanks to Jenna by the way, you're my kinda lady!!)
As long as I don't go yanking the drapes off the wall to make a dress!!!!
But I have found alot of great information about the dress of the period and I was thrilled to see that not everyone dressed in the sepia toned clothes that you see in the pictures. I think that is what hubby thought, they pictures were that color so the dress must be too. duh haha
But I am on my way to getting myself clothed as well as my two boys. The oldest of which is going to be a powder monkey. huh??? I will learn with your help I am sure!!!
Thanks again,
See ya'll at an event hopefully,
HC's Lady
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Help me convince my hubby!!!! 
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