From the Boutique Of Mdmslle. Le Fonzwique ;)

Hey guys! Sarah and I are desperate for pictures to put on here, (since Dad doesn't wish us to put pictures of ourselves on) so we decided to do a Civil War fashion post. So if you are a boy reading this that will wish to complain, it probably won't interest you so don't read further! ;) Now, with the Foster's upcoming ball (that we probably are going to) Sarah and I have been thinking about what we are going to wear. I have decided I'll follow the "KISS" rules which are: "Keep it Simple and Sensible". So I'll just wear my Civil War skirt, a white blouse, and a black belt or sash. I will certainly not be as much of a belle as this:

But I'll pass fine, and I think I'll be more comfortable than she! Think about how uncomfortable those dresses are! Think about it- A young woman like myself should have a waist measurement that matched my age! 17 inches? Maybe I could get away with 18? I give a loud resounding laugh to that one! The look was achieved by a corset that squeezed you till you could scarcely breathe. Now, I've never tried one, but Heavens! Could one really do a good Virginia Reel without keeling over? I think not.

But of course, to accentuate you tiny waist, a lady must wear a hoop under her skirts. Thankfully, I have one. Hoops are tons of fun to dance in. That is...if you don't step on it and rip the hem out of your skirt! Make sure you wear plenty of petticoats, even with a hoop, as it is "The Fashion" to have a full, puffy skirt. (I don't wear one. Shame on me! We just wear pants beneath our skirts in lieu of bloomers.) Then we come to shoes. I would be sure to break my ankle if I tried wearing one of these:

And then, you must have gloves. I think I'll ask Miss Thompson of Thompson Hall if I can borrow a pair of hers! The hairstyle is the last thing! I haven't decided how I'll do mine! I have experimented many different ways of doing various people's hair:

Here is one of my models after I did her hair in a Recamier Coiffure.

That is not strictly a Civil War style, but still pretty. Civil War styles were very sleek and flat. The young ladies wore their hair in buns at the base of their head, and the older ladies with their buns higher up. Well, I hope you enjoyed this post! I have to go do chores! -Rach