New (and experienced) Reenactor Guide


Clothing


For the civilian reenactor one of the biggest investments is clothing. My best advice is to start simply, make sure that this hobby is right for you, before you make a big investment. Everyone makes costly mistakes when first constructing their wardrobe (I have made some doosies!!!), but there are ways of minimising the mistakes.

Fabric

A good place to start is with fabric. Fabric is important not only for looks but for safety. Please only make your cloths out of 100% natural materials (cotton and wool), ABSOLUTELY NO POLYESTER, especially in camp situations around fire. The reason is that when polyester burns it also melts, even when mixed with cotton, this will be hotter than 100% cotton burning and will also adhere to the the created wound. The melted fabric will need to be taken out of the wound (ouch!!) and is more likely to result in 3rd degree burns. This includes the kid's clothing, adults know the risks, but that won't stop a child from accidently catching themselves on fire.

This will mean more ironing than blends but hanging clothing after washing will minimize this chore. And it really is worth the work to protect yourself and your family.

Now for my favorite part, the fabric itself!!!! Civil war era fabric was diverse and colorful. The color can have meaning though, the main one being pink and red. This was the color of tainted women, or harlots. Deep reds, earthy reds are wonderful for everyone to wear, but stay away from pinks and lighter reds (even in children). Good beginner colors are "earthy" colors, blue, green, deep red, dark purple. Avoid white and black at first. A solid black outfit would indicate mourning, but black trims are very universal (add these later). Whites get dirty, are hard to wash, hard to keep clean, should be avoided when making dresses. They are very appropriate when making undercloths, undersleeves (explained later), collars and anything that is designed to be washed often (and dresses arn't washed very often). Plaids were quite common but the size had meaning. The bigger the plaid, the richer the wearer, they are not appropriate for camp dresses (described later). Reason being that it took more fabric to match the plaid, I've seen period plaids where one motif was 1 foot square. Small (average) plaids of less than 1.5 inches are wonderful and have the advantage of concealing dirt. Plaids can be used in all dresses from the most simple to the most lavash and expensive. Floral prints are also wonderful starter fabric if you are careful. Look for single background floral patterns with simple (old looking) flowers that are printed in only one or two colors. Solid colors can be used, but I would not advise them for the new reenactor. They show dirt really well, it is obvious. If you are going to make several camp skirts a dark, solid colored skirt would add variety to your wardrobe.

Wardrobe: Where to start?

For the First Event:

The white blouse and separate plain "camp" skirt: This is only seen in pictures women in military camps and the very poor. This outfit is by no means glamourous, it should NOT be worn with a hoopskirt (I've seen no documentation to support it), unless you add an additional garment (to be discussed later). It is however the easiest and cheapest way of being outfitted for the first time. Go to your local second hand store (i.e. Goodwill) and look for a plain, and I do mean PLAIN, button down the front shirt without a colar (with is ok for the first event but take it off later). The skirt should be a relatively plain fabric, plaids and simple floral designs work best and show little dirt. The bottom of the skirt should be 3 inches off the ground, you don't want to trip!! The bottom should be hemmed by hand, then the skirt should be gathered or pleated and attached to a waist band. The skirt can be easily constructed with just a little sewing experience (it is very easy). I will add an instruction page for the instruction of a simple "camp" skirt.

Voila, you are ready for your first event. Simply add a black pair of shoes, avoid tennis shoes, please!! Boots are preferable, the best are laceup boots with very little of a block heel if any and a square toe. Look for these at Second hand stores or discount shoe places, or retail outlets on sale. I just found a nice pair of boots at JC Penney on sale for $20.
What to wear under your cloths? For a corset like bust line try a sports bra, and best of all gives the support you need at an event. If it is hot wear shorts, if it is cold wear capri's or long johns.
The Next Step: Consider the Undercloths:
Proper period underclothing may seem wierd but it actually makes the clothing more comfortable. There are four basic undergarments worn at the time; the chemise, drawers, corset and petticoats. If you decide against period undergarments you will at least need some petticoats. Petticoats are the same as camp skirts but several inches shorter.
In our unit we have gear that we can loan you to try out the hobby and while you are constructing your wardrobe. If you have any questions about fabric, construction techniques, anything, JUST ASK. But make sure you are talking to someone who sews, has done their research (another question) and produces their research upon request.

Suggested Reading!!! Part of being a reenactor is learning about what you are reenacting. Research can be as can take up whatever percentage of the hobby that you wish. There are many things to research, clothing, crafts, everyday practices, "current" events. The list goes on and on. Below are a brief selection of the books that I have found fascinating and helpful to my practice of the hobby. Please let me know if you have any suggestions!! (email address will be forth coming)
Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horwitz. The book was suggested to me by the head librarian at George Fox University while I was maintaining a Civil War display I had created in the library. It is an amazing fusion of historical events, reenactors and the present day effects of the Civil War. I highly recommend this book!!!
Who Wore What: Women's Wear 1861-1865 by Juanita Leisch. This out of print book may be hard to find but is definitely worth it!! It contains a wealth of information and pictures. I use it to get inspiration for new dresses and cloaks. For those in the Northwest
The Everything Civil War Book by Donald Vaughan. I just got this book for Christmas 2005. It may not look like much on the cover but it is great primer for many subjects in the Civil War. If you are a new person I would advise you to at least check this book out at your local library. I've been in this hobby since 2001 and I learned quite a bit!!!
The Dressmaker's Guide to Fit and Fashion by Elizabeth Stewart Clark is a great book for drafting and fitting your own patterns. It also has fun information
Skirting the Issue by Elizabeth Stewart Clark (available on her website) is a great companion to the above book. Some of the information is repeated but there is enough different to make the extra money worth it, in my opinion.

Sewing Patterns. Accurate and usefull ones can be hard to find. I always have to second guess the shapes of the pattern, make sure they are accurate, then make the garment.

I love Simplicity patterns!! They seem to work the best, but here are the ones that I would advise.
Elizabeth Stewart Clark's Website is amazing. For Childrens pinafore, drawers and chemise patterns (to draft, but even that isn't hard), visit her "Sewing Acadamy". I also recommend her publications: The Dress Makers Guide and Skirting the issue, I own them both and they are nice to have, though some information is repeated. I would also buy her patterns too. She makes instructions clear and easy to follow.

Martha McCain collection. These are great patterns, but it doesn't look like they are being made anymore, not on the Simplicity website.
7212 Civil War Day Dress pattern is a good pattern for coat sleeves. I have used this pattern. Use knife pleats or carriage pleating to attach the skirt. Ignore the apron, I personally have not found it to be period correct!
Simplicity 4551 Misses Civil War Costume view A is a very nice example of bishop sleeves, very nice. View B is too late for our period (1861-1865). View C has a nice example of coat sleeves. I would omit the cuffs on that pattern as well as sleeve jocky (the piece at the top of the sleeve) until you are more experienced. The collar is great, small (1-1.5 inches). Make sure that it is detachable and needs to be whip stitched to the neck. The false sleeves look ok, though even I would be prepared to replace the top ties with elastic at the event that I wear them at first.
9769 Civil War Underwear pattern looks ok period wise. I haven't used that pattern
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