LoisPauline
Private
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2019
- Location
- Spring Hill, Florida
I have stated in my two previous posts that I have had a love for the history of The Civil War since I was around 8 years old. That being said, I have not truly dug into the history until now. It is quite the overwhelming experience. I have had personal views changed by a single quote and my eyes opened to a world, culture, and people, that I can only state in simple terms, were some of the strongest I've ever heard of. The sheer will these souls possessed on a daily basis quiets my mind to all things petty and insignificant in my own modern life. I know I have yet to even take one layer off the top of this war, its people, and its history. So, I ask you to please take all of my words, as I am someone learning and eager, with an open mind. I am a thinker, as in all day - everyday. The following are musings that have been rolling around in my head for weeks now. Bear with me, I tend to ramble.
I began reenacting in January of this year and have taken to it with great passion. I'm sure my first thoughts of the gorgeous dresses and fabrics were the same as many other lady reenactors. I saw this romanticized view of Scarlett O'Hara (Whom, please forgive me, I have never ever liked but her wardrobe was seemingly dreamy) I wanted the flounciest most full gowns imaginable. Then I wore one and the impracticality crushed all my hoops and dreams, wait that's not right...HOPES and dreams. There we go. I am anything but a poser. I refuse to partake in a hobby without proper research of the components necessary to perform every task that I could possibly be called to do. I quickly learned of dress silhouettes, fabric type, etiquette, and finally the reality of it all.
I knew the South had little funds and many of the women had to care for the homefront. In my eyes how could fashion even be a concern to these women when quite honestly a battle could storm through their homestead the very next day and decimate everything. Their men were either gone fighting or dead and gone. I try to put myself in their place. Close my eyes and think, really think....how would I have handled that. Would I have spent what money and time I had on fabric and constructing a "visiting dress" or a "day dress"? Or would I have patched up whatever clothing I could find, including left overs of my husbands, cover myself to the best of my ability and get to work? My mind believes the latter had to have been a plausible occurrence.
A little background on this one train of thought. I posted a picture of myself in a group on Facebook wearing a camp skirt with petticoat and drawers. I wore boots, and tall socks. My top was a man's white shirt (also correct underthings minus the dang corset), authentic in quality as it belonged to my boyfriend when he was younger and smaller in size. I tucked it in and wrapped a brown leather men's belt around my waist with a brass Florida belt buckle. My hat was black wool and it had the blue cords around it that our entire unit is required to wear. I added a blue cameo to pin the side of it up. I was in camp. I refuse to wear a hoop around the camp fire. (I no longer have this picture. I deleted the post from the group it was in and have since gotten a new phone and lost those pictures which actually infuriates me)
I was ripped to shreds in this group. They were seemingly kind about their "corrections" of my ensemble but the most they could actually state was "They just didn't wear these items together then. This is not period correct." Granted my shirt was as authentic as you can get without being 150 years old, my skirt was definitely of correct shape/pattern and fabric (not the one I personally made in another of my posts). The hat I wore was wool. 100% wool. The cameo was a very well done reproduction. They all agreed that each piece on their own was fine but I was "farby" to put it all together. My question is....Why?
Why?
Because we haven't seen an actual CDV of a women wearing anything of the sort? Did the type of woman I'm trying to connect with even have the means to have her portrait taken? Maybe it is because no one had mentioned it in their travel journals or personal diaries. But my question is....why is it is so far fetched fora woman, whose husband is either dead or simply not home, to wear an ensemble such as this during this era, to complete work around the home/farm or even be seen in town wearing? Would she have been talked about...of course, but that doesn't necessarily matter. You do well with what you have during hard times. They questioned me, "Do you think you would have worn a man's hat outside if you had lived in this time?" I'm not 100% sure (because, how can you be?) but I'm fairly certain I would have. Especially if it were the hat of my dead/away husband whom I missed dearly. You're darn right I'd slap on a little frill and wear it until it fell apart.
Wives of soldiers in modern times are seen over and over again wearing their husband's belongings while they are away. Why would it be so outlandish to think of a woman doing so in the 1860s?
I'm truly not a rebellious person who loves to shake things up, however, there is a reality of war and destitute times that I believe some women, not all mind you, choose not to take into account when creating an impression. The unit I belong to is from a very poor part of Florida during the war - I find it hard to imagine any of the women having the grand and detailed fabrics that some of the dresses I've seen are made from.
This is my personal take on something that I am passionate about and it is the direction my heart has led me to do my impression. I feel I owe it to those who actually experienced the harshness first hand to do it correctly. I'm sure as I study and learn more my entire thought process could shift and I will welcome it as it happens!
I began reenacting in January of this year and have taken to it with great passion. I'm sure my first thoughts of the gorgeous dresses and fabrics were the same as many other lady reenactors. I saw this romanticized view of Scarlett O'Hara (Whom, please forgive me, I have never ever liked but her wardrobe was seemingly dreamy) I wanted the flounciest most full gowns imaginable. Then I wore one and the impracticality crushed all my hoops and dreams, wait that's not right...HOPES and dreams. There we go. I am anything but a poser. I refuse to partake in a hobby without proper research of the components necessary to perform every task that I could possibly be called to do. I quickly learned of dress silhouettes, fabric type, etiquette, and finally the reality of it all.
I knew the South had little funds and many of the women had to care for the homefront. In my eyes how could fashion even be a concern to these women when quite honestly a battle could storm through their homestead the very next day and decimate everything. Their men were either gone fighting or dead and gone. I try to put myself in their place. Close my eyes and think, really think....how would I have handled that. Would I have spent what money and time I had on fabric and constructing a "visiting dress" or a "day dress"? Or would I have patched up whatever clothing I could find, including left overs of my husbands, cover myself to the best of my ability and get to work? My mind believes the latter had to have been a plausible occurrence.
A little background on this one train of thought. I posted a picture of myself in a group on Facebook wearing a camp skirt with petticoat and drawers. I wore boots, and tall socks. My top was a man's white shirt (also correct underthings minus the dang corset), authentic in quality as it belonged to my boyfriend when he was younger and smaller in size. I tucked it in and wrapped a brown leather men's belt around my waist with a brass Florida belt buckle. My hat was black wool and it had the blue cords around it that our entire unit is required to wear. I added a blue cameo to pin the side of it up. I was in camp. I refuse to wear a hoop around the camp fire. (I no longer have this picture. I deleted the post from the group it was in and have since gotten a new phone and lost those pictures which actually infuriates me)
I was ripped to shreds in this group. They were seemingly kind about their "corrections" of my ensemble but the most they could actually state was "They just didn't wear these items together then. This is not period correct." Granted my shirt was as authentic as you can get without being 150 years old, my skirt was definitely of correct shape/pattern and fabric (not the one I personally made in another of my posts). The hat I wore was wool. 100% wool. The cameo was a very well done reproduction. They all agreed that each piece on their own was fine but I was "farby" to put it all together. My question is....Why?
Why?
Because we haven't seen an actual CDV of a women wearing anything of the sort? Did the type of woman I'm trying to connect with even have the means to have her portrait taken? Maybe it is because no one had mentioned it in their travel journals or personal diaries. But my question is....why is it is so far fetched fora woman, whose husband is either dead or simply not home, to wear an ensemble such as this during this era, to complete work around the home/farm or even be seen in town wearing? Would she have been talked about...of course, but that doesn't necessarily matter. You do well with what you have during hard times. They questioned me, "Do you think you would have worn a man's hat outside if you had lived in this time?" I'm not 100% sure (because, how can you be?) but I'm fairly certain I would have. Especially if it were the hat of my dead/away husband whom I missed dearly. You're darn right I'd slap on a little frill and wear it until it fell apart.
Wives of soldiers in modern times are seen over and over again wearing their husband's belongings while they are away. Why would it be so outlandish to think of a woman doing so in the 1860s?
I'm truly not a rebellious person who loves to shake things up, however, there is a reality of war and destitute times that I believe some women, not all mind you, choose not to take into account when creating an impression. The unit I belong to is from a very poor part of Florida during the war - I find it hard to imagine any of the women having the grand and detailed fabrics that some of the dresses I've seen are made from.
This is my personal take on something that I am passionate about and it is the direction my heart has led me to do my impression. I feel I owe it to those who actually experienced the harshness first hand to do it correctly. I'm sure as I study and learn more my entire thought process could shift and I will welcome it as it happens!
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