Time Travel Costumes
Civil War Wedding Gown (McCall's 5132)
Civil War Corset, Chemise and Drawers (Simplicity 9769)

The hairstyle I used is from the blog The Lady's Guide.
If you are curious about the construction details, visit the Civil War Costumes Dress Diary.
My husband's costume is a Union Army Uniform (McCall's 4745).

This is the chemise (or shift, or in more modern terms, the slip). It is worn underneath the corset and the drawers (or bloomers). It can either be tucked into the drawers or left untucked. Personally, I like ot wear it untucked because otherwise all that extra fabric is bunched up around the back and is both uncomfortable and ridiculous (as you can see below!).

The corset is worn over the chemise and drawers. It takes about fifteen minutes to lace up the corset properly and take it in all the way. My waist was 29" before the corset went on, and the corseted measurment was 26". Woah! Too bad it is impossible to breathe in this thing.

 

 

 

This is Jasmine Kitty Nummers. Her favorite place
to be is underneath my crinoline (hoop skirt), but
only when it's on the dress form. She was very
put out that I was wearing it, and moving it around
every time she tried to go into her fort.

I didn't make my crinoline. Instead, I bought one
on eBay for $26. Yes, it's cheating, but... $26!!!!!
So cheap!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see it took me about 45 minutes to get dressed. My husband's costume (a Union army uniform) took him about four seconds to put on. So he ended up helping with my outfit since I don't have a lady's maid. ;-)

Note to self: Next time, try Simplicity 9761 (OOP).

Photographs this page copyright Time Travel Costumes 2010.