Civil War Muster 2015 // Cassie's Attire

Happy Wednesday all! It feels great to be showing you all recaps of the Civil War muster and today is no different. I hope we won't bore you with all this this week, but we thought the majority would like to see what Bek and I donned the weekend of the event as we rushed from here to there as busy bees. Let's take a look at what I concocted to bring my day dress I made last year back to life and bit more period!












Most of you will remember me sharing in mid winter this cotton day dress I whipped up just weeks before the Muster last year. As I had little time to make a mock-up and had never made anything specifically from this era before, I naturally came away with a few problems and things I hoped to remedy the next time an event accurate for this dress came around before wearing it again. One big one I mentioned in my original post I shared about this dress was that the sleeves were quite short for me which also meant that the cuffs sat higher leaving them uncomfortably tight against my wrists. I knew of just the ticket to remedy the problem without replacing the entire sleeve, but no time to make them, that is, under sleeves!



Like most undergarments of this period, under sleeves were made so that only said garment would have to be washed and not the entire dress, as well as in this case so that wrists would not be shown which was quite the wrong thing to do while out and about in town, save balls etc.

Since the drape of the original sleeves was not so fitted that under sleeves would be a hassle or become balky, I knew I needed to make myself a pair before the event happened again.

The pattern I used was Simplicity 7212 from their Fashion Historian, Martha McCain collection,     which though quite simple in style, worked like a dream with the rest of the dress. Plus I was able to add a bit of hand crocheted lace I'd picked up and stashed just the week before. Oh how I love being able to put to use those vintage notions when working on a project!

They turned out just right! And looking back, I really should have pulled up my outer sleeve to show you all the way these things are held up! But just envision them going a few inches past my elbows and tying with a drawstring casing, tied tightly in a bow to secure. Interesting, no?


I did think to to snap a picture of the layers I wore beneath it all. I tried to pick out of all my old underpinnings the things one would have worn back then. Just as I did last year, I wore Bek's brown Ariat riding boots, brown knee highs, slit crotch bloomers, a chemise, a two steel hooped hoop skirt, and a modesty petticoat on top.

So all in all I added this year to my dress just a broach fastened at the neck, and the under sleeves. I completely forgot my plan to add some contrasting bias tape to the skirt's hem (until I saw all the other ladies with it there!) which totally could have been a quick easy addition, but oh well, there's always next year if I choose to don this another time.

My hair style on day one consisted of a middle part of course and then two tightly done twists coming over the ears and into a neat low bun, covered with my navy snood and fastened with a hair comb. Day two I simply switched out twists for dutch braids and kept the same snood/hair comb combo. I'd really like to do a true over the ear curls and all style next year. We shall see; its hard when you're dealing with food to have your hair in your face more in that manner, but boy would it be fun!



Thanks for stopping bye once again to see some of behind the scenes of the Civil War event! Be sure to check back this weekend to see Rebekah's ensemble!

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Romans 15:13

Have you ever made anything Civil War period?

What could I add next year do you think to this outfit?

Many blessing to you all,

Cassie

the elder sister