Ballroom attire

[Puttzer04]

Easy to find info for ladies attire at ballroom dances. Not so easy for men's.

I portray a private. What is the proper attire to wear to a ball with my charming wife? Union or Confederate?

Sources or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Legion Para]

Welcome to the forum Puttzer04.

http://www.civilwardance.org

 

[MRB1863]

Hello and welcome from 35 miles north of Gettysburg!

 

[Private Watkins]

Howdy-do!! And welcome from Oklahoma...!

 

[RebelHeart]

Welcome from southern New Jersey!

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

Howdy and Welcome!

 

[chellers]

Welcome from East Texas.

I'll transfer this thread to our Reenactors' forum.

 

[CMWinkler]

Welcome.

 

[poorjack]

Howdy and welcome.

If you are attending a military ball, your uniform in good repair and clean should suffice. Otherwise, check into civilian fashion at the time but remember that many of the fashion plates that have survived are the "haute coiture" of the day and not at all representative of the average person's formal attire. For a better idea of what constituted the "Sunday go to meetin" clothes of the average person, look at original photos wherever possible. Back then, getting your portrait made was a big affair and most people would dress in the best they had for the event. The idea of the attire being appropriate to Gone with The Wind is pretty much fiction. Back then, as now, the truly rich and beautiful were a rare bunch.

 

[D.H. Hill]

Welcome.

Union or Confederate depends upon your preference. I have yet to see a reenactment ball become a battle because people were wearing conflicting uniforms...

You should probably wear a period white shirt if you have one and a cravat. Spats can dress up any uniform.

Also a waistcoat- if you don't have one don't unbutton your jacket all the way. At that time men's drawers were long and were generally worn outside of the shirt so they could be pulled up easier if they slipped down. In consequence in some pictures of the dead you see the underwear tops above the trousers and it would be HIGHLY irregular to allow a lady to see such a thing. If it was hot, a man was working, and there were no ladies about it wasn't uncommon to go in the shirtsleeves without a waistcoat, though. I have also heard that suspenders were considered underwear but I'm not sure on that one.

An officer might wear shoulder scales (US mostly) and other fancy regalia not normally worn in combat- as well as his sword, which is hooked up to the belt with an s-hook for the occasion. Spurs were sometimes worn to balls (such as Washington's Birthday in early 1864) but generally not as they would wreak havoc on the ladies' dresses.

Jackets are often worn not fully buttoned for formal affairs. The top couple might be left undone to show off your cravat. The middle few might also be unbuttoned (see image below, which is Pvt. Alfred Dolaway of the 56th NY, Co. F in 1861). This supposedly represented that you were subject to outbursts of emotion (why the unbuttoning is centered about the heart), which in those poetic days was looked highly upon. To support this you should also know quotes from Poe or Byron.

A confederate impression can be accentuated for the occasion with a secession cockade (don't wear one in battle, though except Manassas No. 1 &c.)

White cotton gloves are also highly advised. They make you look good and hide your sweaty palms!

 

[Michael W.]

welcome!