2nd Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment

Civilian Clothing Guidelines

Welcome to the 2nd Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment.  Since Company F of the 2nd Virginia was raised in the town of Winchester, Virginia, which was occupied by both Federal and Confederate forces on numerous occasions during the Civil War, civilians in this organization usually portray refugees or families of soldiers.

Prospective members are invited to join the 2nd Virginia organization with an initial probationary period during which he/she will have a sponsor who is already a member in good standing of the 2nd Virginia. The sponsor will notify the recruit of upcoming events, and provide assistance in acquiring the proper clothing and gear. The purpose of having a mentor within the organization is to provide you with answers to the many questions you will have, and to help you avoid costly mistakes. It is no more expensive to obtain the proper clothing and equipment than it is to purchase inauthentic materials; however, if you purchase inaccurate goods at the outset, and then have to replace all of these items, it can be quite expensive. We are a friendly bunch, and more than willing to answer questions and help you get started, so please don�t be shy!

Prospective members should plan to attend three maximum effort events within a twelve month period, two of which must be reenactments, after which time they will be eligible for full membership. All membership applications are approved by the 2nd Virginia Council. Until prospective members obtain member in good standing status, no company dues are assessed, and the prospective member will not be eligible to vote in company elections.

Authenticity requirements for this organization are quite strict; however, we also recognize that reenacting can be a tremendous drain on personal finances. Therefore, if you are new to reenacting or new to the 2nd Virginia, your first year with the organization will operate as a "grace period". This will give you a year to ensure that minimum clothing authenticity standards are met. We ask that camp and cooking gear be brought to minimum standards within the second year. This is not as difficult as it might sound since existing members of the 2nd Virginia have ample cooking gear for the company mess, leaving you responsible only for obtaining your personal eating utensils: plate, knife, fork, spoon, bowl, and cup.

Many of our civilians have children who accompany them to events. These accurately clothed children are a tremendous asset to the impression of families caught up in war, and full participation of families is encouraged. Since clothing growing children in completely authentic period attire is not realistic, the authenticity standards applied to children�s clothing is not as stringent as that applied to adults. If you have children who are interested in reenacting with you, please contact LuAnn Mason for particulars on children�s clothing standards.

CLOTHING

Achieving a truly accurate physical impression of a woman from the Civil War era can take months or even years of research. However, for your first few reenactments, while you are still deciding whether or not this hobby is right for you, a surface authenticity is all that is desired. Since mid-Victorian garments are quite fitted, making loaning of items difficult, you should begin to supply your own wardrobe as soon as possible. Prices of most items will vary greatly, depending upon whether you pay a seamstress or whether you can sew items yourself. Advice, lessons, and help in period sewing techniques, pattern fitting, fabric selection, etc. are offered to all prospective and existing members free of charge. Feel free to contact LuAnn Mason to make arrangements.

Underpinnings:

Proper undergarments, including a corset, chemise, drawers, petticoat, and stockings, are very important, and should be among the second level of clothing purchased or sewn. However, for the first few reenactments, substitutes are allowed. A cheap white cotton full sleeveless knee-length nightgown will make an acceptable temporary chemise, and it can double for a warm weather nightgown. Stockings may be white cotton knee socks.

Drawers (required):

Civil War era women wore below knee length drawers that had no crotch seam. Since we are primarily concerned with the parts of your clothing that are visible, as long as the drawers you choose are of white cotton and come down to at least mid-calf, whether you choose historically accurate "open" drawers, or choose to sew the drawers shut, is entirely up to you. Likewise, whether you choose to keep your drawers up with a period correct buttoned waistband or opt for modern elastic at the waist is also a matter of personal preference. Drawers also provide protection from chafing in the hot summer weather.

Corsets (strongly recommended):

Bras were not used in the 19th century. Small busted women might do without a corset, or use a "waist cincher" over their chemise. Larger women might start with a "merry widow" type foundation. Frankly a properly fitted corset is both cheaper and more comfortable than either of these modern alternatives. Corsets are not required, but are recommended. A properly fitted corset is not uncomfortable, and provides tremendous lower back support for those of us who are unused to carting around heavy skirts. Since 1860�s garments are quite fitted through the torso, a corset prevents a lot of wear and tear on your bodice.  Alternately, a modern sports bra will work as an interim solution, providing a relatively period �monobosom� look.

Petticoats (1 required, more optional):

You will need at least one petticoat, which is really nothing more than a gathered white cotton skirt, hemmed several inches shorter than your finished outer skirt. A plain petticoat is fine to begin with, but you may wish to acquire or make a corded petticoat, which uses cording inserted in the lower third of the skirt. This adds fullness to the lower part of the skirt, and also prevents the skirt and petticoat from wrapping around your ankles when you walk.

Chemise (recommended with corset):

A white cotton chemise is necessary with a corset, so you don�t get "pinched" in awkward places.

Dresses:

Since the majority of the members of the 2nd Virginia camp adjacent to the military camp as refugees and family, cooking over open fires, the first suggested outer garment is a simple work dress. The simplest, most historically correct fabric for this work dress is either a solid, stripe, woven plaid or woven check cotton or wool in dark and/or "natural dye" colors such as browns, indigo blues, madder red/browns, or combinations of these.  Due to safety concerns, man-made or synthetic fibers are prohibited. While prints were worn during the Civil War, most modern prints are inaccurate for historical use. Also, since southern ports were blockaded for the majority of the Civil War, the availability of imported printed fabrics was quite limited, with most people either producing or procuring southern made homespun fabric. Small, multicolor allover prints termed modern "calico" are not accurate, and therefore not allowed.  We have members who would be happy to accompany you fabric shopping to advise you on fabric selection.

"Past Patterns" is a company, which produced its patterns from surviving historical garments, and offer clear instructions and illustrations. Do not try to alter a modern pattern. Tailoring techniques have changed drastically since the 1860�s, and the proper placement of shoulder seams and sleeves is not possible with a modern pattern. Pattern purchase recommendations are listed below, but ladies within the organization are willing to share their patterns and expertise if you do not wish to mail order the patterns yourself. Bodices and skirts must be made of the same fabric, although there are separate patterns for each part. The completed bodice and skirt should then be stitched together to make a one-piece garment.

Pattern Recommendations:

Skirt: pp. 700, 1850-1863 Fashionable Skirt

Bodice: pp. 701, 1860-1867 Gathered Bodice, with bishop or coat sleeves

Bodice: pp. 702, 1850�s-1863 Darted- Bodice, substitute bishop or coat sleeves for pagoda sleeves

Dress: pp. 803 Pioneer Dress 1850�s, 60�s, substitute bishop or coat sleeves

Plain wooden or metal buttons or hooks and eyes should be used for closures, and work dresses would generally have been devoid of trim. While sewing machines were available prior to the Civil War, even in the more rural south, imported machine spun thread was no longer available due to the blockade of southern ports, and the uneven homespun thread would not feed properly through the sewing machines. Therefore, machine sewing is fine for all seams that do not show, but any buttonholes or visible stitching should be hand sewn. Commonly, bodices closed with hidden hooks and eyes, and buttons were applied as decoration, and the dresses actually had no buttonholes at all.

Collars:

One consistent element in women�s clothing is almost universally overlooked by most reenactors: the use of white collars. These are not a part of the actual dress, but are separate detachable accessories made of white cotton (which could be boiled clean, starched and pressed more easily than entire dresses). Collars and cuffs, if used,  for work dresses should be simple in design, and measure between 1" and 2" wide. The collar should be basted to the neckline of your dress, and the cuffs likewise basted to the wrist openings of your sleeves.

Shoes:

Shoes can be a major but very important investment. You will be on your feet for hours each day at a reenactment, and your shoes must provide needed support. The least expensive option is to purchase a plain pair of "granny" or ankle boots from any shoe store. These should be of black leather, plain and devoid of extra trim, with square or rounded toes, relatively flat heels, with the smoothest sole available, and lace up the side or front. Finding the appropriate style is more important than the color. If you find the correct style, you can always dye the shoes with black leather dye in a few minutes for minimal cost. Period boots may be mail ordered from custom shoe makers, but plan to have an interim plan, as the boots are quite expensive, and the waiting time prohibitive. Alternately, there is nothing historically wrong with going barefoot, but with such hazards as fires, wood splinters, stickers, and horse droppings, it is not recommended.

Aprons:

Aprons are not required, but are extremely useful, easy to make, and inexpensive. A good apron will protect your dress and usually has good pockets to stash things in. A pattern is not needed since the apron consists of a gathered rectangle of fabric on a waistband. The apron should extend from hip to hip, and be nearly as long as your finished skirt. The waistband may either tie or button at the back, and pockets and or bibs (to help protect the bodice of the dress) may be added. The bib (if desired) should not have shoulder straps, but pin directly to the bodice of your dress with two straight pins. Shoulder straps on aprons were exclusively worn by young girls (pinafores) and are not appropriate for grown women. The fabric should be sturdy cotton, and the color can be white, light, dark, a small plaid or check.

Headwear:

When leaving camp, you will want to cover your head as period women did.  Sunbonnets, bonnets, hats or caps are not required within the camp, but are necessary when leaving the immediate confines of the camp.  Sunbonnets can be plain, corded, quilted, or slat, and should be made out of cotton fabric which should not match your dress. Civil War era sunbonnets had an apron or "skirt" that fell below the shoulder to completely shield the neck from the sun. Dressy hats of the period did not have the wide brims necessary for protection from the sun, and were generally considered the province of well-to-do teenagers or young adults, particularly in the north, but are not appropriate for a rural southern impression, and are not encouraged. Day caps are little head coverings trimmed in lace and/or ribbons, either white or black, a holdover from the 1840�s and generally only worn by older ladies. A dress bonnet is appropriate for almost all adult female impressions.

Shawls, and Capes:

A warm covering of some kind is generally desirable for evening and early morning. Shawls made of a hand-woven-appearing cotton or wool fabric with the ends unraveled and "fringed", either square or rectangular in shape in natural colors, would be appropriate. Knitted or crocheted shawls and/or "Fascinators" (a triangular shawl) are also acceptable. Capes were generally made of wool and circular rather than gathered, thus the Folkwear "Kinsale Cloak" pattern is not acceptable.

TOILETTE AND ACCESSORIES

Eyewear:

Modern eyeglasses are strongly discouraged at Civil War reenactments. Nothing is more of an anachronism than aviator frame or plastic frame eyeglasses on an otherwise historically dressed individual. Oval wire frame glasses are permissible, but given the luxury status of eyeglasses in the Civil War, the best solutions include contact lenses (a box of disposable lenses for use only at reenactments is quite reasonable), going without (if possible) or finally, obtaining antique frames fitted with your prescription. Modern sunglasses and glasses, which darken automatically in the sunlight, are absolutely not allowed. While you are a prospective member, you may wear modern prescription glasses, but please make this adjustment as soon as possible.

Hairstyles:

Women in the Civil War generally wore their hair all one length (no bangs or layers), parted in the center, and arranged on the back of the head or low on the nape of the neck. Center parts are required, and bangs or layers should be blended in with the hair on the side of the face as much as possible. Leave in conditioners and hairsprays generally offer enough control to maintain a period hairstyle for the day. Buns, rolls, or braids made into chignons at the back neckline are appropriate. Short hair, while not common in the Civil War, was not unheard of. You may wear hairpieces if you wish, but it is perfectly acceptable for a woman with a modern chin-length bob to simply part the hair in the center for the weekend. Hairnets or "snoods" as they may be called at the sutlers, were a style limited to very young, very fashionable, and generally northern women, and do not meet the authenticity standards of this group. They may not be worn. If you need help arranging your hair, feel free to ask; just be sure to bring your own hairpins or bobby pins.

Makeup:

Makeup was not generally worn during the Civil War, so if you feel that you really must wear makeup, please keep it as natural as possible, with a minimum of foundation or powder, no eye liner or eye shadow, and lip colors should be kept very sheer and natural. Sunscreen, however, is strongly recommended.

Toiletries and Medicine:

Modern toiletries and medicines should be stowed in a small antique appearing wooden or metal box, or drawstring bag. Reproduction combs, mirrors, toothbrushes, perfume bottles, etc., are available from many sutlers. The best period hand towels are made of white cotton huckabuck, available at many fabric departments. Castile soap is available at most large grocery stores.

Jewelry:

Generally, gold was the metal of choice for jewelry in the Civil War, rather than silver. A belt buckle, a simple brooch, pocket watch, or perhaps a single pair of earrings (hook back or loop) that you had before the war started and you could not bear to part with for "The Cause" would be appropriate. No wristwatches, high school or college rings, or modern solitaire engagement ring are allowed. Simple gold bands are excellent for married women. Chatelaines are not appropriate with work dresses, but may be worn with fancier day dresses.

Smoking:

Cigarette use by a person in historic clothing is not allowed in plain view in the 2nd Virginia camp. Lower class Southern women were occasionally known to smoke clay or corncob pipes. Please exercise common courtesy and check with your companions to see if tobacco smoke would bother them. Cigarette use is allowed only in your own closed tent or away from the historic impression area.

Living History:

The 2nd Virginia is committed to presenting living history activities on an ongoing basis. People with experience or interest in candlemaking, soapmaking, sewing, quilting, spinning, and weaving are encouraged to share their skills, and the company mess can always use another cook or cook�s helper. There are always beans to snap, salt to grind coffee to grind or make, and what have you. You may want to consider bringing sewing, crochet or a knitting project to keep you busy during quiet times.

CAMP EQUIPMENT

Bedding:

Modern cots, sleeping bags, and air mattress are permissible if you have period looking quilts or blankets to disguise them. If you are sleeping on the ground, you may want a gum blanket, poncho, solar blanket or a piece of plastic to use as a ground cloth.

Eating Utensils:

Knives, forks, and spoons can be purchased from a number of sources, including sutlers, antique stores, flea markets, and thrift stores. Wooden handled forks generally had three tines and all metal (silver) forks had four. In general, simpler is better. Plates and bowls should be made of pottery, china, tin or wood. Simple white, blue willow or other historic appearing transferware is ideal. Enamelware is of a later period, and should be completely fire-blackened to disguise it. New made blue "speckle" enamelware is not allowed. Glasses, if any, should be clear, simple and straight, or with hexagonal sides and base that have an arched top design. Tin cups should not have lead solder. Plain pottery coffee cups or period-appearing teacup and saucers are also acceptable. A joint company and family mess is prepared at all reenactments for a nominal fee. All members of the 2nd Virginia are encouraged to participate in this camaraderie building unit activity.

Baskets or Boxes:

Simple hand baskets are useful to carry cameras or purses. If your basket does not have a lid, please cover the top with a scrap of period appropriate fabric. Large willow laundry type baskets will help carry your things into camp from the parking area. Natural willow, wicker, or split white oak is fine. Wooden boxes without modern advertising is also acceptable.

Chair or Stool:

Antique-looking wooden folding or ladder back chairs can come in handy while sitting around camp. You may also purchase a cloth covered wooden folding stool, but replace the seat with off-white canvas, ticking, or a tapestry-like fabric. Alternately, a sturdy wooden box makes a comfortable seat after you have been standing all day.

Lighting:

A very small flashlight may be carried for late night visits to the Port-a-Johns, but please leave them well hidden in your tent at all other times. Candles and period kerosene lanterns or lamps should be the only visible lights in the camp after dark. The blinding beam of a plastic Coleman "torch" really spoils the mood for the folks sitting beside a flickering fire enjoying the moment.

Food and Food Storage:

As stated earlier, the 2nd Virginia provides a combined family and company mess for a nominal fee. While you are not required to participate, this is certainly one of the easiest, least expensive ways to eat at a reenactment, not to mention the most fun. You may want to bring some snack foods in addition to the meals provided by the company mess. Food should either be kept in period looking containers, muslin bags, or plain paper wrapping, or have non-period containers well hidden within your tent. If you bring a cooler, make provisions to keep it hidden in a wooden box or under a quilt or other fabric covering. Drinks should be consumed only from period looking cups, mugs, or glasses while you are in period clothing.

CONTACT

If you have any questions, feel free to contact your sponsor or LuAnn Mason. We will be happy to answer any questions you might have. It�s much better to ask someone for advice than to purchase the wrong things. Please also remember that we have all been right where you are now--lots of questions and looking for a friendly face. No question is too silly to ask.

When you attend your first reenactment, you may see women with zippered ball gowns, black tennis shoes, sunglasses, and cigarettes walking down the path. Different groups and individuals have their own standards of authenticity. The suggestions listed above are what the 2nd Virginia considers the minimum acceptable standard for authenticity, as we endeavor to represent average Southern women and children during the Civil War.