If you’re a woman Civil War reenactor you’ve probably had a few discussions on hoopskirts – their size and construction – and their older cousin the corded petticoat. You may also know of the debate that rages about the historical accuracy of corded petticoats worn during the
1860s.
Not to go into great detail on historical use, but I believe the general consensus is that once the wired hoop skirt/crinoline became widely manufactured, women jumped at the chance to free their lower limbs from the layers of petticoats and did not retreat back to their corded petticoats.
When you adopt a new style/fashion or better-made clothing, you rarely go back to what you were wearing before. Would you agree?
Take, for instance, late-19th Century corsets. As more “health corsets” appeared on the market, women adopted these new styles and let the waist-cinching, heavily-boned corset fade away.
It is the same with the mid-20th Century girdle. Today we have much better “body shapers” in high-tech fabrics to hold in all the lumpy, bumpy areas so that we no longer wear girdles under our modern clothes.
So in my opinion, (and you can disagree), our ancestors put off wearing corded petticoats when the freeing hoop came their way. But that does not mean the garment itself became obsolete. It may have been many years before everyone stopped wearing them. The older generation may never have adopted them.
The wired hoop skirt was created in June 1856. And they became inexpensive and readily available to nearly all women. However, women probably still wore corded petticoats and crinolines for a few years more. Not everyone adopts the new fashion right away. The Victoria’s Secret Miracle bra still scares some women.
Once a new device is on the market, the older model is not written or talked about. The latest and greatest gets all the news stories. (Remember the iPod first generation? Or better yet, the Commodore 64?) The older gadgets get tossed into the Sentimental, Old-Fashioned, and History files for dissemination in college research papers.
Specifically speaking of American Civil War reenactors, much discussion is heard on whether to wear a corded petticoat or a wired hoop skirt when working around campfires. Which undergarment is easier to wear?
In my own Civil War reenacting circles this is widely debated. However, within my specific group (Historical Citizens Association), one of our cooks, Becky, prefers a small wired hoop rather than layers of corded and plain petticoats. She stays cooler with the hoop due to the air flow under it. (Breezes are lovely.) She also finds it easier to maneuver around the cooking area in a hoop that has a slight “swing” to it. I have to agree.
This leads to the question, if once you wore a hoopskirt for even a bit, would you find it hard to go back to wearing multiple layers of petticoats? I say yes.
But some say the softer folds of the corded petticoat are less likely to brush the fire. Possibly. But I will promote the lightweight 90″ hoop over 3 layers of petticoats any day. And in the end, all of us must remember to practice attentive fire safety when around ANY campfire
– period setting or not.
So I think yes, of course corded petticoats were still around in the early 1860s. But I also think that if women had any means to purchase the new hoop contraption they would have done so. I know I would have.
What are your thoughts? Do you think corded petticoats were still as widely popular during the Civil War years as they were in the early 1850s? Post your comment for discussion below.
At civil war events my impression is of a laundress from a poor rural farm. I wear a starched corded petticoat with starched petticoats over and under. It is very easy to get around and if I need to kneel down on the ground or if I would need to sit on the ground I can do so easily. Yes, all that can be warm in the summer. That is what it was like for working women, poor women and women on farms. It was hard work and you sweated, hence the layers of under pinnings that could be washed instead of having to wash your outer dress. I much prefer the flexibility of the corded petticoat. Women who were of low means would not have had the money or the “need” for a cage or hoop except for special occasions. People who lived in the rural areas especially in the south didn’t get to town very often and the need for finery was not as important to those who lived in towns or cities.
What kind of stays would a farmers wife/daughter have worn. I want to go towards 1860s but I need to be able to travel in a car or sit on the floor. So far with a later corset and bustle combo this has been practically impossible.
Depends on how poor or well-off they were. If the women worked they might have worn corsets with reed or cording for support. Whalebone was quite prevalent, however, in most corsets of the time. Substitute that today with metal bones. I’m sorry you haven’t had good luck with riding in a car while wearing a corset. Have you read my tips on corset wearing?
I might just have to go for cording. My metal boned corset was the most uncomfortable. The one with the plastic boning but metal busk was better. But still awkward.
Sounds like the corset is not made for your particular figure. Well-made and fitted corsets are quite comfortable. Of course, putting them into modern circumstances where they are not made for, like vehicle bucket seats, can be uncomfortable for anyone.
Very interesting commentary. I have both a corded petticoat and a hoop and there are pros and cons to them both. The hoop is definitely cooler in the summertime because it lets air circulate. But it gets in the way and after a while, it gets quite annoying because it takes up a lot of real estate. The corded petticoat definitely is easier to move around in and more practical. But, unless there’s a nice breeze blowing during a summer re-enactment it’s going to be warm.
My understanding is that nurses and factory workers did not wear hoops. If you were a nurse working with patients it could be very painful for the patient if your hoop brushed up against him or her. Likewise, if you were a factory worker and your skirt got caught up in machinery or brushed up against a heated surface, you could sustain a serious injury or even get killed. And, from looking at old photographs of working people not many of them seem to be wearing hoops.
Also, look at the sizes of some of the staircases in middle class citizen’s homes. They are narrow! When I visited the Jenny Wade House I could not picture any female in that household going up and down those stairs wearing a hoop. Or, even being able to walking around the place without your skirt getting caught up in furniture or knocking things over.
I agree with other comments stating that the corded petticoats did not die a quick death.
Communication was much slower in the 1850s-1860s. Even if the spread of the wired hoop was very rapid in the cities, it would not have taken hold very rapidly in the countryside or on the prairie. There would certainly have been misunderstandings about them and some factions would probably have seen them as immoral or sinful. So I think the corded petticoat would probably have lingered for several years before reaching anything like “universal” acceptance.
Well…I didn’t jump on any “miracle bras”–in fact, I still prefer a soft cup to anything “push up” or even wired. I also don’t wear jeans and I tend not to wear most “new” fashions, no matter how good they’re supposed to be. In part, this is because of my weight–but in part it’s also that I just don’t like the way some of those things feel. So I would have to say that I doubt that ALL women would jump at the chance to wear hoops. On top of that, I suspect that at least among the working class, even women who did get hoops early on also still wore just petticoats for, say, casual picnics with the kids or spring cleaning, when you wanted to wear something older.
I am just looking for some help! Im starting out as a civilian and have a few camp dresses/skirts….I am so confused besides the chemise,corset,and pantaloons/pantelettes as to the hoops. While in camp what shout i wear to give me a little fullness. also can i wear a hoop. Im just unsure if I am going petticoat/or hooped? I am sure i should have both soon enough in my wardrobe,but in camp I am unsure.If any one can please help I would greatly appreciate it. please email: daisybelle6972@comcast.net
You can’t go wrong with simple petticoats (about 3 if that’s all the skirt support you’re wearing). Wire hoops came about in 1856 so by the early 60s they were worn by a good portion of women. Although, it comes down to your character impression – what you’d be doing or working on, who you associate with, etc. That is a personal decision and one that should flow with your reenactment group/event. I suggest you inquire at Elizabeth Stewart Clark’s Sewing Academy board. LOADS of helpful and informative people there! 🙂
Thanks but my role as being in camp cooking etc. I know I need a hoop for formal gathering. Im 5 feet and unsure of what to go with. and for fullness without a hoop in camp could crinoline be used instead of petticoat???
Hi Jennifer,
Real quick, I Love your informationals and how too!
Thank you and keep up the great work.
My family reenacts at a fort doing both civil war and pre civil war time periods and as a laundress or nurse I am not to wear hoops, but may use the corded, starched or multiple layers. Starched is extra work, The multiple layers is hot (fine for winter) and so the corded is the petticoat of choice for both eras in that position.The civil war civilian has the crinolines.
As one who works on the family farm and preparing to adopt the corded petticoat for daily wear I was excited to read one of the comments above.
I’ve got the pattern, I’ve got some muslin and some crochet cotton. Now it’s time to get busy.
I’d really like to find out if there are women who wear “historical” garments on a daily basis versus for “play”. I can’t tie myself down to an era so I’m simply taking what I want from whenever and building a wardrobe from there. I’m switching from manly jeans and pants to wearing skirts and dresses everyday. And, yes, even while doing chores on our family farm. I’m excited!
L
My dear Lyric,
In Summertime, I am often ‘living’ where I am organizing an event. I am in period attire the entire time. I even cross over at home doing day to day at times. A hoop has no place in the day to day activites and multiple petticoats has been what I wear. Having said that, I do plan on a corded petti as soon as I have time. It will facilitate not having the other pettis getting wrapped in my legs. My wardrobe is more period clothing than present day at this point. My Warmest Regards, ~Miss Rose (Nothern Maine)
during the civil war. the edict came down for those women working in the hospitals that NO hooped skirts were to be worn. Nurses and those devoting time to the soldiers in hospitals had to abide by this , therefore I am sure that the corded petticoat was used for those occasions and for doing the work of a camp follower, IE laundress, cook etc, would not have used a hoop either….and they would certainly not have gone without a petticoat! Also those women that worked on farms would not have used a hoop in the barn to feed , or milk cows etc. so in my book common sense says that the corded petticoat didn’t die out completely.
Older ladies in wheelchairs would not wear a wired petticoat and perhaps one who has to use a cane would not either. That is just a narrow group of the population, I am sure. Otherwise I think I have seen many photos of older ladies WITH an obviously wired petticoats under their dresses.