Dress and Dance in the 1860s

Gowns The gowns in this time period included a crinoline (the metal frame inside a dress to make it bell out). The crinolines were flatter in the front and projected out in the back. Corsets became popular in the 1860s to help form the preferred body shape. Evening dresses had lower necklines and short sleeves worn with short gloves or fingerless mitts. Daytime gowns included pagoda sleeves that were thinner near the shoulder and widened toward the wrist. These sleeves went over undersleeves or engageantes (lace that goes around the arm).

Proper Dancing Etiquette It was impolite to dance with the same person all night, everyone was supposed to mingle and make sure that everyone else was happy. Ladies are required to be the most important people at the ball. They should be the first cared for, and given the best seats. No young lady should go to a ball without a married woman or an elderly man. At the beginning and ending of each dance, the woman should courtesy and the man should bow. If a husband goes to a ball with his wife, he should only dance with her the first set. A gentleman shouldnt talk to a woman before they are properly introduced. Never stay in the ballroom until everyone has left, or until the last set. This is because it may look like you dont get to dance often, so you should leave when there are still a couple sets to go.

Different Kinds of Balls Private Balls: You may only attend this type of ball if you have an invitation. Private Balls are often family and close friends or members of a specific group, such as a political organization group or trade members. At this type of dance, a man may ask a woman to dance even before they are introduced. If the woman rejects, the host is then insulted for inviting a improper gentleman to the party (the man would have to be improper to be rejected). Public Balls: In this type of ball, you must buy a ticket to attend. These balls were often used to raise money, in this time period to support the Civil War. A man could not ask a lady to dance if they werent properly introduced. He would have to find someone who knows the man and woman to introduce them, or he could ask the Floor Manager to apply to a dance. The Floor Managers assist the Dance Masters in setting up the dance sets and conducting the ball. Master-Servant Balls: This is where the lord of the manor holds a ball for his servants and tenants, and sometimes local townspeople. Many different social classes were brought together in these balls, but the different classes rarely mingled. If someone of a higher class wants to dance with someone of a lower class, they may ask. But someone of a lower class may not request to dance with someone of a superior class.

Dances Closed position dances or round dances such as polka and waltz were considered scandalous in many places, so it was mainly done by young people or upper classes. Since there are no films of the dancing during the Civil War, people have to guess what the dancing looked like from dance master notes, diaries, dance manuals, letters, and sometimes drawings of dances. Most dancing in this era was done in the open position with couples standing side by side, forming a line or a circle.

Ballroom Dress All dancers should wear white or light brown wrist-length gloves. Men should wear anything that draws attention to themselves. In formal balls, the common mens attire was a black wool cutaway tailcoat or frock coat, black pants, white low-cut vest, white shirt and white cravat which is something like a tie. Hats are never worn in the ballroom, instead many women wore flowers, ribbons, or decorative combs in their hair. The most common Civil War ball gown was modest, normally with short sleeves. The waist could be rounded or pointed in front, which was considered more formal. Younger ladies often wore pastel colors.

Mens Dress Men mainly wore shirts made of linen or cotton, with collars standing up. Neckties were wider and were normally either tied into a bow or tied into a loose knot and fastened with a stickpin. Frock coats were worn for business occasions over waistcoats or vests. For less formal business occasions, a mid- thigh length sack coat was worn loosely fitted. A morning coat was worn for formal during-the-day occasions. A tall dark coat with trousers and a white cravat was worn in the evening. A coat, waistcoat, and trousers all of the same fabric was called a ditto suit, and was considered in style.

Pictures

They are all wearing crinolines (the metal frames in their skirts)! The fluffy, white lace in her sleeves are engageantes!

Pictures Mens Evening Outfit Most of these men are wearing frock coats!