thecivilwarparlor:An evening dress from around 1861 in black moiré silk, black jet and blac
thecivilwarparlor: An evening dress from around 1861 in black moiré silk, black jet and black lace Evening gowns had low necklines and short sleeves, and were worn with short gloves or lace or crocheted fingerless mitts. Bouffant gowns with large crinolines were probably reserved for special occasions.Skirts were now assembled of shaped panels, since gathering a straight length of fabric could not provide the width required at the hem without unwanted bulk at the waist; this spelled the end of the brief fashion for border-printed dress fabrics.Heavy silks in solid colors became fashionable for both day and evening wear, and a skirt might be made with two bodices, one long-sleeved and high necked for afternoon wear and one short-sleeved and low-necked for evening.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1860s_in_Western_fashion -- source link