Lectures and Presentations

Introduction The Scene is set / a few basics Layers Dressing up Ready to go to the tea

Layer by Layer  How Women Dressed in the 1860s

presented November 2, 2003 at the annual Victorian Tea
by the Stamford Historical Society and Jane Sabatelli

II: Layers

Basic layers

Samples of actual antique underpinnings that every woman would have worn.
Antique pantaloon extenders and split pantaloons.

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The corset

1860s style of corseting above left, and a close up of early 1900s style above right.
Jane demonstrating the desired figure shape as shown on an 1860s period doll while wearing an 1860s style corset.	The back lacings of a corset would allow for a little space in between each side so the individual backbones would fit comfortably.
This is a sample of a child's corset which girls as young as 7 years of age would have begun to wear in order to misshape their ribs.	A corset cover is worn on top of the actual corset to protect it from becoming soiled during its regular daily wear.

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Waist and skirts

Jane demonstrating a full blouse known as a waist back in the 1860s.	An under petticoat reached just down to the boot tops and covered the pantaloons.
A series of hoops encased in a slip known as a crinoline supported the weight and fullness of a skirt.
A full skirt fits on top of the ruffled overpetticoat which covers the hooped crinoline.

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  Dressing up

Jane Sabatelli
Civil War Exhibit 2003

Photos © Nancy Louth