Hoopskirts, Union Blues, and Confederate Grays: Civil War Fashions from 1861 to 1865 (Dressing a Nation: The History of U.S. Fashion)

What would you have worn if you lived during the Civil War era? It depends on who you were! For example, upper-class women wore tight corsets, bustles, and wide hoop skirts to fancy balls. The layers weighed almost 30 pounds (14 kilograms)! For everyday, whether at home or nursing soldiers, women put on multiple layers of simple fabrics. Some daredevils sported women's trousers―called Bloomers―to make a statement on women's rights. Read more about wartime fashions of the 1860s―from ankle boots to parasols and tiaras―in this fascinating book!