Hoopskirts, Union Blues, and Confederate Grays

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...