Photo by: Andrew & Carson Photographers, Hillsdale, MI, USA Date: c. 1861-1865 Type: Carte de Vista (CDV)

In the early summer of 2017, I was commissioned by director Walcene Metayer and costume designer Rebecca Joy Lewis to create an authentic dress for the Civil War Era film The Fighting Road. It was …

Civil War Ladies Dresses

[ATTACH] [ATTACH] Too easy, seeing these photos in LoC " Union Infantry and wife ". The thing is, these photographs were generally taken, a trip...

One Pattern to rule them all; One Pattern to make them; One Girl to sew them, and with some changes, fake them! Autumn Day Dress, circa 1855-60 SO… After much procrastination, consternation, …

So it’s time to make the bertha (weird name for an article of clothing, but whatever). Berthas can be made of flat or pleated/gathered pieces of fabric, trimmed in any number of different way…

One Pattern for all your mid-Victorian Skirts!! American Civil War: this is for you! You need our downloadable late Victorian petticoat pattern based on an original pattern from the 1860s. Fits waists 21″ through 52″ with instructions how to alter for other sizes. Tired , Pleated, and Plain versions both included. All sizes come in the downloadable file. Also included are assembly instructions, and embellishment suggestions. Your purchase delivers as a PDF download. Just download and print on your home computer. (Full-size print shop files available upon request.) Suggested Fabrics: cotton, linen, other light bottom weights Notions: thread, buttons, snaps or hooks and eyes for front closure Yardage Requirements: 4 yards 60″ wide, 5.5 yards of 45″, more if napped Let us help you! At Reconstructing History, we want to see you wearing the best garments you are capable of making. Email us at info [!at] reconstructinghistory.com and we will answer any questions you might have.

I found this wonderful photo a while ago, and it reminded me of how I love stripy dresses. So another post with pretty pictures, of 1850’s and ’60’s striped dresses Of cour…

It seems to me that most of the re-enacting events we attend start earlier in the day, and unless only Susi and I go, we usually don't have ...

A Civil War Era Cross-Over Bodice I have been admiring pictures of Early and Mid-Victorian dresses with a cross-over bodice. They are unique and not seen much at Civil War reenactments. …

A Civil War Era Cross-Over Bodice I have been admiring pictures of Early and Mid-Victorian dresses with a cross-over bodice. They are unique and not seen much at Civil War reenactments. …

(I am sorry but I have very few free time these days, so this text will only be in french : I let you make

Evening dress, ca. 1860. Kerry Taylor Auctions, via Fripperies & Fobs .

My original plan for the HSF15 challenge 5 – Practicality, a regency day-dress, needed to be postponed so to get time to finish this springs biggest undertaking – a hole new 1850-1860s …

Many of my dear readers already are extremely knowledgeable about the ins and outs of period 1860's clothing, but for those of you who might not have looked into it as much, and perhaps would like to know a bit of the characteristics of gowns from this period, I decided to do an overview of my new dress rather than just posting pics and writing a random "coat sleeve, tucked bodice" etc. blub about it. For starters, this new dress (or gown! call it what you like!) is commonly known in reenacting circles as a "day dress". A day dress would, of course, have been worn during the day. An "evening dress", as contrast, would have been worn in the evening for specific social events. So, this is a basic style cotton day dress. It can be washed but for my purposes, and for the longevity of the fabric, I will most likely on spot clean it and fully wash it perhaps once or twice a season, as needed. Front View:Here is a full length view of the dress. Although there are many variations of style you can get into as you research extant original gowns, period photographic images and fashion plates of the era, this dress shows the basic shape and look of a dress from the era. As a broad overview, it has wide shoulders with dropped shoulder seams, a wide skirt hem and wide sleeves to create the illusion of a small waist. The neckline is high and is shaped in a shallow V. An alternate shape is a round "jewel" neckline, but I chose the V shape since it is much more flattering to me! The waistline ends at the natural waistline. On my corseted figure, this is the smallest part of my waist. The skirt ends a few inches above the floor. On the dressform it appears floor length, but I am a bit taller than my dressform. Side View:Here you can see the side of the dress. This also shows well the shape of a cage or hoop. As you can see, it pushes out a bit more in the back and is a bit flatter in the front. By the 1860's this was a common shape. Earlier hoops were rounder, and later fashion would favor a flat front skirt and a bustle in the back. My cage is one I made from a kit I got from Originals-By-Kay and is made from 7 wire rungs suspended from fabric tapes. It is about 108" around the bottom rung. Back View:Here you can see the back of the dress. The back is fitted to the figure and the skirt is pleated all around to the bodice. On some dresses, you can find gauging or cartridge pleating in the back section of the skirt. For this one I was in a hurry so I pleated it all the way around. Note that the skirt is even at the floor despite the shape of the cage. The skirt on the dress is longer in the back by 3" than in the front. The panels of the skirt are sewn together evenly (I used five 45" wide panels for this skirt) and the bottom edge hemmed. To account for the difference in length at the front, side and back of the skirt the upper edge of the skirt is turned to the wrong side and ironed flat. 3" more fabric is pressed down in the front of the skirt than in the back. This creates a sloping line at the top edge of your skirt that will pleat or gather up to drape evenly across the cage. Collar and Bow:Here you can see the shallow V-shape of the neckline a bit better. To dress up the space between the edges of the collar I added a black bow. This space could also be filled with a nice brooch, or a different style of bow. The bow is just pinned on with a straight pin so it can easily be removed. Collar:Here you can see how the collar is attached. The collar is a completely seperate item from the dress and is simply basted into the neckline of the dress with long running stitches. This enables you to take off your collar when it becomes grungy and wash it without having to wash the entire dress. This also keeps the neckline of your dress protected from your natural body oils and sweat. Cuffs or undersleeves (see previous post for a photo of me wearing this dress with undersleeves) serve the same purpose at the wrist. Front Opening: Adult womens day dresses opened down the center front. The front edges are turned back to the inside and slip stitched to the lining to finish the front edge. I used hook and eyes to close my dress although you can use buttons and hand sewn buttonholes as well. I find it faster and easier to stitch on the hook and eyes rather than sewing buttonholes. You could sew decorative buttons on the outside of the bodice but still use hook and eyes for the fuctional closure. I have done this with my silk dress (see three posts down). The hook and eyes I used here are white, since they are all that I can find locally, but I don't think white hook and eyes are period correct. In the past, when the stores still carried them, I used black hook and eyes. Piping: Piping is used to strengthen seams and is made from the same fabric as the dress. I cut bias strips of my dress fabric and insert a narrow cotton cord in the center to use for my piping. Places I use piping are these: The Armscye: Between the shoulder and the sleeve. The Neckline: This finishes off the neckline for a neat look. You could also use plain bias binding here if desired. The Waist: You can use piping to finish off a darted bodice, or, as here a tucked bodice with a waistband. I piped both the top and bottom edge of my waistband. The piping at the bottom of the waistband reinforces that area to give you a sturdier place to attach the skirt. Bodice Style: Bodice styles are usually sorted into "darted to fit" and "gathered". Darted bodices have the fashion fabric and the lining darted as one to fit the figure. This style is usually reserved for wool or silk dresses. For some reason existing darted cotton dresses do not seem to be common at all. Gathered bodices have the lining darted to fit, but the fashion fabric is gathered at the waist instead of being darted. As a variation, I tucked my fashion fabric instead of gathering it to keep the pleated theme of the dress going on. It gives a smoother, more tailored line for my body shape than gathering would, as well. Here you can see the darted lining fabric on the inside of the dress. I use two darts on each side. Bodice Back: Curved "seams" in the back of the bodice make a pretty line, and the small area between the bottom edge of these curves help add to the illusion of a small waist. Rather than a true 3-piece back, I find it much easier to make false seams or topstitched tucks in the back of the bodice. I pin and press them into place before stitching them down. Skirt/Bodice Closure:I attached the skirt directly to the bodice. I pleated the top of the skirt and then the pleated edge was stitched to the very bottom of the bodice. Since the bodice opens in the center front I wanted to make a dog leg opening so that the skirt opened slightly at the side. This prevents a seam from being down the front of the skirt. Here you can see the waistband hooked together and how the bodice closes over it. At the bottom of the skirt, I sewed on a hem facing rather than making a turned hem. This does two things. It preserves fabric because you do not need to cut enough in the skirt to allow for a turned hem (just 1/2" for a seam allowance) and it also protects the bottom of your skirt from dirt and wear. In this picture you can already see some dirt on the hem facing, and I just wore this dress once! The facing protects the dress fabric from this. When the facing becomes ragged, it is easily replaced. I used 4" wide strips of scrap fabric for mine, in a light color. This is sewn right sides together with the bottom edge of the skirt, turned to the wrong side and stitched in place with a large-ish running stitch that is long on the inside and short on the outside. Attaching Trim: To trim my dress I added black bands at the edges of the sleeve cap and the sleeve hem. Trim is sewn on with large-ish stitches so that the trim can be removed if you need to launder your dress (I learned this the hard way when black trim on a previous dress bled all over the dress fabric when I washed it!) and so you can easily remove the trim if you wish to update your dress with fresh trim at a later time. It is also much faster to attach trim this way. Here you can see the large stitches on the inside of the sleeve, showing where the trim is attached. So there it is! Not a comprehensive overview by any stretch of the imagination, but hopefully it will give you an idea of some of the common features of period dresses. Now to make a few more, since currently this is the only dress I have that fits! Love, Sarah

vintage everyday: Vintage Photos of Paris from the 1860s.

By popular demand, I'm going to do some blog posts on creating hairstyles for the 1860s. Since I have long, thick hair, I wanted to use someone else for a model - someone who had a shorter, more modern hairstyle. However, my sis also has long thick hair, and Mom's hair is very short. No one in our family has a nice, shoulder-length style for me to play with! Just when I thought there was no one to pester, a good friend with formerly long hair surprised us today by coming for a sleepover with a new haircut! She graciously offered to be a model for my blog post (and a fruit coolatta from Dunkin Donuts as bribery didn't hurt!). So here is our wonderful model Merrianna with her beautiful titian hair as a my demo! Though I did this hairstyle for Merrianna (while she slurped her coolatta! :D), you can easily do it on yourself with some practice. My materials The lovely model (and the bribe!) I started by parting off a front section on each side. Then I put the back section into a nice smooth ponytail. I twisted the ponytail into a bun. This is where having some gel, hairspray or good old-fashioned pomade would have made the job easier. But hey, it turned out pretty well anyway! Since her hair was nice and clean and slippery, I used hair clips to secure it. If you absolutely need to, you can use them too. But since they weren't around in 1860, it's better to use something goopy on your hair to make it stay put (which they did do) and then use those big authentic hair pins instead. However, the clips worked fine for our demo. Next, I took one of the side sections in front and twisted it. You can twist it under, towards your face. Or you can twist it up, away from your face. Both styles were used, so you'll have to decide which fits your face shape the best. Thin hair typically looks best if twisted up and away from the face. Twist the hair all the way to the end. You can braid it, if you prefer. Start the braid near the top of the ear, not at the front scalp-line. Braided or twisted, take the piece of hair and wind it around your bun. It doesn't matter if it's not long enough to go all the way around the bun. If you're using hair pins, pin it against the bun as you go. If using clips, do the same thing. Take the other front section and do the same thing with it. Here's generally how it should look. Isn't this a lovely do? It should be quite secure as well, especially if you used plenty of hair spray and gel. Here is a drawing of Queen Victoria with the same general hairstyle. If your hair is long, you can loop the braid or twist lower, like she did. If you are reenacting a lady at home, you can leave your head bare if you like. However, ladies often wore caps or nets during the day. So here's how to put on a net. First, put it around your hands and make sure it's fully opened. Hook the bottom under your hair-do. Pull it forward and adjust around your face. Ta-da! Ain't she cute? This hairstyle also looks good with a cap. And a bonnet! Next time, I'll show you our demo pictures of how to vary this for a ball hairstyle. For now, I'll leave you with a final cute photo op we just couldn't resist: Thanks, Merrianna!

I have focused on terms found in magazine and book descriptions of hairstyles in the 1850s and early/mid 1860s. Some earlier and later expressions are included, with sources dating from 1830-1881. A great many borrowings from French are found, and some publications favor either French or English terms; others use both. Following period conventions, I've italicized words and expressions given in French, but not ones which seem to have passed into English usage. A few regional dialect or slang expressions related to hair are also included. This is an on-going project, so inquiries, suggestions, and critiques are welcome; I will continue adding entries, improving citations, etc. as I find more information. Accroche-coeurs: The French name for a "spit curl". (25) Aureoule (aureole): A ring of light around the head, used in some ecclesiastical images to denote holiness (a halo); a decoration worn over the head in a similar manner. Example: "Aureoles of small rosettes made of narrow black ribbon velvet, edged with white, are also much worn with nets made of the same ribbon." (20) Bandeau(x): French for "headband(s)" or "band(s)." May refer to way of arranging the hair, or an ornament worn on it (a band or fillet). Bandeau of velvet with beads, Peterson's 1858 Double bandeau (R), waved bandeau (L), from Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Jan 1853 Bandeau bouffant: A bandeau made over teased hair for additional volume. The Ladies' Companion, 1856 Band: A plain band is a relatively smooth arrangement of the hair along the scalp, or over rats; may also be made using waved hair. See "bandeau". Also, a decoration laid on flat, such a ribbon or piece of lace, or a length of braided hair brought over or across the head (similar to a "coronet"). An ornamental band, worn badly. (19) "The hair is arranged in waved bands, short and puffed." Harper's, 1851 Bandelets: A decoration for the hair, consisting of ribbons, velvet, or gilt bands passed over the head. The ribbons are decorated with beads, or sometimes sequins. (20) Velvet and bead "bandelets" with tafetta ties, from Peterson's, 1865 Bandoline: A "soft" pomade used for styling the hair and keeping it neat. Described as "gummy" and "liquid", in contrast to harder wax-based products. (23) Apparently going out of fashion in 1856. (13) Two 1854 receipts derive it from quince seeds extracted with rose water, or from gum tragacanth mixed with rosewater. Barb/barbe: A piece of lace often worn streaming down from a head-dress, cap, or bonnet; a lappet or "pinner" on a head-dress. Barkit: "Dirt hardened on hair, and hence forming a kind of bark", English provincial term. [I hope this is describing animal hair and not human!] (18) Basket Plait: A four-strand plait, in which three strands are braided as usual with a fourth going straight through the center; I've found written references to this plait are in the 1850s or 1880s, but not the 1860s. Demonstration here. (5, 24) Barnet Fair: British rhyming slang expression for "hair". (25) Braid: See "plait". Bob: To cut the hair short; an American expression. (4) Bouquet: A cluster of flowers; may describe flowers worn in the hair. (12) Bow-catcher ("beau catcher") British slang expression for a "spit curl". (25) Bow: A style incorporating two side-by-side waterfalls, resembling two loops of a bow (see "waterfall" for illustration). (9) Broches Frisettes: French, "(little) ringlet pins". See "curling pin." Cable Twist/Cable Plait: A round plait of three strands; it is made by bringing the left strand around the center strand, then the right strand around the center. Tutorial here.. (5, 24) Cache-Peignes: French, literally "cover combs". A hair ornament worn over the chignon. Named as an alternative to wreaths for formal hairstyles. (3) Cache-peigne worn with evening dress and matching sash. Godey's, February 1861 Calflick: Hair which lies in a different direction from the rest of the hair; a Cravenshire (English, Northumbrian) provincial usage. (18) Cat: A frizette worn on the top of the head. (15) Cataract: A frizette used in a "waterfall" worn at the back of the head. (15) Caul: The hair-covering back portion of a cap (32); potentially also a decorative crown-like accessory. The term appears in fashion descriptions of caps in the 1840s, and describing a blue velvet head-dress in 1858. (33) Other references are historic or ethnographic. Caps with "cauls", New Monthly Belle Assemblee (1846). Cap "without a caul" for evening dress, Ladies' Cabinet of Fashion (1840). Chain Plait: See basket plait. (5) Chaplet (less often "Chapelet"): Also called a "drooping wreath." Recommended for formal headdresses for tall women (in the Fashionable Dancer's Casket, 1856). Chevelure: French for "hair". (30) Chignon: A general term for hair arranged in a mass at the back of the head; coils, knots, twists, and waterfalls may all be considered chignons. Borrowed from the French, meaning either "the 'back hair' of ladies" (26), or "the nape of the neck; the back part of the hair turned up." (30). Circassian Braid: A fancy braid that I've found mentioned exactly once, in an 1855 article in Harper's New Monthly Magazine. Grecian braid/plait (top), basket plait (background), "Circassian braid" across the back. Coiffure: A hairstyle (14), especially a fancy or involved one; a headdress (13,14); occasionally used as a verb meaning "to dress one's hair". (3) From the French term for a head-dress (30). Coiffure de bal: A hairstyle to wear at a ball. Coil: Hair twisted and wrapped around itself into a circular shape; a bun (I have not found "bun" used to describe hair in a period source). A coil (9) Comb: An ornament worn at the back or side of the hair, held in place with 'teeth' (examples here); plain tortoiseshell combs may also be worn to add volume to the hair; also, a tool for untangling the hair, available in fine and coarse varieties. (15) Couronne: French for crown/crowned; it is mentioned in Arthur's Home Magazine (1856) and appears to be a braid passed over the head as a coronet. Coronet: A crown, circlet or diadem; a similarly shaped ornament of ribbon, velvet, or even feathers, or a braid of hair worn across the head in a like manner. For the latter, see also "band". (20) County Crop/ County Prison Crop: British slang for a short prison haircut, said to resemble an inverted basin. (25) Cow-lick ("Newgate Knocker" or "Cobbler's Knot"): British slang for a large curl, none too clean, worn by of the ear, associated with tramps, thieves, etc. (25) Also a provincial term from Norfolk and Suffolk describing a twisted area of hair on a calf's forehead. (18) Croppie: British slang for one who has short "cropped" hair, presumably from a recent stint in prison (see "County Crop"). (25) Curl: A twist of hair, treated as synonymous with "ringlet". "Curl" is also, apparently, the name of a disease affecting potato plants. (29) Graham's Magazine, 1856 (13) Curl Clasp: Item sold by Godey's in the 1860s, for curling the air. (16) Described in a January 1859 article, these clasps function like modern curlers: hair is wound around the clasp, which is fastened and left in place for several hours to set the curl. The clasps may be heated prior to use. Curl-paper/ curl paper: Pieces of paper wound through and around the hair to produce curls; they must be employed for hours before the curls are desired. These may be made from newsprint, and in whatever form, are depicted as unlovely. Soft paper or silk are recommended over hard paper. The method to use them is described in Female Beauty. Curlingirons/ Curling-irons/ Curlingtongs: Hot implements used to curl the hair. Curling irons. (6) Curling Pin: Illustrated in Godey's in January 1859, these pins help hold curls in place during wear. Possibly also used to form the curl (see "curl clasp"). See here for more information. Illustration of "Curling Pins" to keep long curls and and puffs net. Godey's 1859 Curling Fluid: Product with supposedly curls the hair "immediately", without needing to use hot curling-irons or wait for several hours in curl-papers. (1858 advertisement here) Crimpers: Advertised by Godey's in the 1860s; they come in boxes of 12, in different sizes. (16) These appear to be for waving/crimping the hair (see below), though an 1854 dictionary definition suggests that crimping and curling are the same thing (29); a 1869 description of "boiled" hair, however, uses "crimp" to indicate the waves produced by braiding, which is closer to the modern definition of "crimp", ie, causing the hair to zig-zag. (21) An article in Godey's (page 167, August 1859) shows how to wind damp hair around a U-shaped crimper so that it will dry overnight to produced waves. Six crimpers are recommended per side of head, with longer ones used up front (thus, the box of twelve in different sizes). "Hair Crimper--How to Use It" Godey's, August 1859 Crimping Iron: "An iron for curling hair". (11) Dander: Dandruff or scurf. An "Americanism". (4) Demi-toilette (or "half costume" or "undress"): Informal attire or style for wear during the day or at home. Less lavish that "full dress", often with simpler hair styles, and little or no jewelry. Demi-wreath: A half-wreath, which only encircles part of the head. Diadem: A style of crown or circlet, typically of precious material. Italian Micro-mosaic diadem, c. 1840 (VAM) Velvet and pearl diadem; instructions in Peterson's, 1860. Dress: To style the hair; a description of the formality/occasion of one's clothes and accessories (see "full dress", "undress", etc.). Elf-locks: "Hair supposed to be entangled by an elf"; Cravenshire (British, Northumbian) provincial term. (18) Fanny Blair: Rhyming slang for "hair". British. (25) Féronnière: A band worn across the forehead (see picture). Godey's mentions them being "very fashionable" in 1840, but does not describe them. (15) The term is only used a few times during the 1840s, and I've not found it used in the '50s or '60s. Possibly named for the ornament appearing in Leonardo Da Vinci's "La Belle Ferroniere" (mis-attributed to Titian in this 1834 article). The name is apparently derived from a French term for an iron-worker or maker of horse-shoes. See also "band". ""Head dressed with roses, and a Bird of Paradise. Gold féronnière..." Godey's 1842 "La Belle Féronnière" Fillet: See "bandelet". Fix the hair: An expression in New England and Upper Canada meaning "to dress the hair." (4) Flick-Tooth-Comb: A coarse or wide-tooth comb for untangling the hair, in Somerset (British) dialect. (18) Folds: An option for arranging front hair in the 1850s. (5) French Twist: Apparently the same as a modern "French twist"; shows up in this 1855 Harper's coiffure, along with several fancy braids. From the frequency of references, the french twist was fairly ubiquitous for back hair 1854-56 (1); it is "old fashioned" but "again becoming quite popular" in 1865, according to Peterson's (20), returning again in 1872 and 1878. Instructions here. French Twist surmounted by Grecian Plaits; also contains cable twists, bandeau, and seven-plaits. Harper's, 1855 Friz/ Frizle/ Frizzle: To curl the hair. (6) Frizette: A pad of hair (typically brushings, which may be curled) or silk which is placed underneath the hair to add volume and shape. Also used to form the base for pin-in chignons, waterfalls, etc. See also "rat". Front/ False Front: An item made by a hair-dresser, presumable an arrangement of false hair worn at the front of the head or above the face. (5, 9) Frouzy: Describes a person will messy or unkempt hair and clothes, in Norfolk (English) dialect. (18) Full Dress/ Full Toilet: "Dressed for company." (29) Usage indicates formal wear, particularly for fancy dinners and evening entertainments, including balls. Typically entails more elaborate richly ornamented hairstyles than for day-wear; clothing and jewelry are also fancier. Gum: A sticky substance, used keep the hair neat, and reportedly going out of fashion in 1856. (13) See also "bandoline". Grecian: A type of "waterfall". (2) Grecian Plait: A popular decorative braid/plait in 1850s and 60s coiffures, where it is often placed prominently across or over the head. The Grecian plait is very similar to a modern fishtail braid: the hair is divided into two bunches, and a small segment at the outside of one bunch is moved to the inside of the second; this is then repeated on the opposite side. Pictures of the process are available here. (5, 24) Greek Head-Dress: See "bandelet". Hair-pincers: A tool for curling the hair, c. 1840 (See Curlingiron). (15) Half Peruke: See "peruke". Harl: Hair or thread, a provincial English term from Northumbria. (18) Head Dress/Head-dress : A general term for involved hair decorations, such as wreaths, caps, bands, etc; the dressed hair itself: synonymous with some uses of "coiffure". (9) For example: "A charming coiffure was composed of a wreath of flowers, almost round, and very full, over which was placed a barbe of point lace, the long ends falling over the neck. The same head-dress may be made of geraniums and black lace, or cornflowers and English lace; also with velvet ribbons instead of the flowers." (3) Hen-caul: A net or cap used to confine the hair, Northumbrian (English) provincial term. (18) Huer/Hure: English provincial term for "hair," from Northumbria. (18) La Chinoise: A braid/torsade (rope) or row of curls worn just above the forehead (20). See also coronet. Peterson's, May 1865; in the October issue, the editor opines that mixing "both plait and tiny curls...causes a superfluidity of ornament". Lappets: Streamers of lace or ribbon on a cap or in the hair, typically placed on either side of the head near the ears. Also, a figured cloth with a woven design resembling embroidery (1863). Lock, Locks: A segment or section of hair, typically referring to hair that is unbraided and flowing, especially hair worn loose at the temple and cheek. (8) A small piece of hair kept for sentimental reasons, such as in a locket. (11) Loop: A free hanging section of hair or ribbon, with both ends confined. Opera Coiffure: "The front hair is turned back from the centre of the forehead and forms full bandeaux on each side. Two rouleaux of hair pass across the upper part of the head and a plait is disposed in a loop below each ear. A bouquet of flowers ornaments the back of the head. (12) Crape headdress with "five loops on the right side and three over the left" and streamers; Graham's Illustrated Magazine, 1857 page 474 (13) Lovelock: An archaic term, see "spit curl". (25) Kidney: A hairstyle worn by students at Cambridge, British provincial term. (18) Kiss-Curl: British slang expressions for a "spit curl". (25) Knot: Popular period term for hair done-up at the back of the head; in some contexts it seems to particularly denote a "bun", either plain or braided. See also "twist". Victoria Penny: "The queen's head to left, with a bandeau or fillet bound twice around it; the hair gathered up in a knot behind." (31) Macaroon Tresses: A popular style for little girls in London and Paris in 1856, according to Graham's Magazine. (13) Appears to be a form of plait/braid, worn long. Possibly related to the obsolete term "macaroon/macaroni" to indicate a fop or dandy, reputed to wear voluminous false hair. Macaroon Tresses with ribbons; front hair in combs, covered with rosettes. Mouse: A little frizette, smaller than a "rat". (15) Mouldy: British street slang for a person with grey or powdered hair. (25) Net: A covering for the back hair, typically netted in either colored silk (as a decorative article) or in very fine silk or hair in a shade matching the wearer's hair (an invisible net). The latter can be a utilitarian article meant to keep to confine the hair and maintain a neat appearance; it is also mentioned in Peterson's October 1865 that silk or hair "invisible" nets are in vogue for evening wear, as they don't cover up the hair itself (page 294). Decorative "nets" of woven ribbon are also possible. Nets may be ornamented with beads, tassels, ribbons, etc. Anna Worden Bauersmith has a more detail investigation of mid-19th century hair nets here. "Black velvet net for the hair, with four heavy gold tassels." Godey's, 1861 Net made of hair and beads, Peterson's, 1860. Negligee: French for "undress, loose or neglient dress". See "demi-toilette". Papillotes: See curl-paper. Peruke: A voluminous wig, worn by gentlemen in the 17th and 18th centuries. Most period references are to historic practices, though one names "perukes" among the items made by in-house by hair-dressers. (5) The "half peruke" featured in Harper's in 1867 appears to be a ready-made back half of a coiffure. (17) Half peruke. 1867 (17) Plait: The more common term for a braid, when referring to hair. The basic version comprises three strands of hair (7), and is executed by moving the right-most strand into the center, then the left strand into the center, and repeating until the desired length is reached. In the mid/late 1850s, there's a fashion for "plaits of five, seven, then, and even more strands, woven more or less openly". (5) "A plait" may also refer to a detached section of hair which has been plaited or braided, and which is pinned on the head as part of the coiffure. (9) Pomade: A scented oil or grease. See pomatum/bandoline. Pomatum: A hair-dressing aid comprised of perfumed "lard or suet, or a mixture of wax, spermaceti, and oil". More solid than bandoline. (23) Point: A method of trimming the hair to taper the ends of curls or to remove split ends; the ends of the hair themselves. (27) Pow: To cut the hair, in Northumbrian (English) dialect. (18) Puff: Similar to a band/bandeau, but with the hair wound around multiple separate frizettes/rats/mice to produce a three-dimensional effect. The hair may be smoothed or waved. Puffs may be made from one's own hair, or from false hair. (9) Front and back puffs (9) Rat: A frizette, particularly one worn at the sides of the head, though it also seems to be a general term. (15) Ready: To comb the hair in preparation for dressing it; British provincialism from Northumbria. (18) Ready-comb: "A wide-tooth comb"; British provincialism from Northumbria. (18) Roll: Hair which has been smoothed around into a tube-shape, typically used for the side hair. May also be made a separate piece and pinned in place. (2) Curls arranged to look like rolls. (14) Roping: Twisting two strands of hair around each other, in a manner resembling a rope. (1) Tutorial here. See also "torsade". Rosette: A rose-shaped (round, spiraling out from the center) arrangement or hair, ribbon, etc. Back hair braided into low rosettes, and decorated with rosettes of quilled ribbon, edged in lace. Arthur's Illustrated Home Magazine (1859) Rouleau: A french term for "roller." (29) Scroll: An arrangement of the back hair, rolled and pinned into a sideways S shape. Appeared in fashion magazines in 1862-3. "The hair is in a double roll in front, with a curl falling behind each ear. The back hair is tightly rolled and formed into a scroll, and kept in place by two fancy pins." (14) Scurf: Scale-y skin flecks which accumulate at the root of the hair and can be removed by brushing or washing; dandruff. (28, 10) Slick: Sleek, to make the hair sleek by combing it. English provincial term, the verb form being attributed more specifically to East Sussex. (4, 18) Spit Curl: A curl of hair on the forehead, "probably...plastered into shape by the saliva". American term (see "bow-catcher" for other synonyms). (4, 25) Strand: A single hair, in Southern US terminology. (4) Also used to refer to the number of sections in a plait or braid, ie, a 5-strand braid. (5) In braiding cut hair for jewelry, a strand is a group hairs of a set number, ie "take sixteen strands of about twenty hairs each". (22) Suit of hair: Mid- or Southern US expression, equivalent to "a head of hair". (4) Switch: A length of cut hair, stitched or bound together at one end, which may be incorporated into a coiffure. (9) Tail: An item made by a hair-dresser; presumably false hair worn at the back of the head. (5) Three Fold Twist: An alternative to three-plait in some styles; research is on-going, but I suspect this is a three-strand version of a "rope". (1870s?) Three-Plait: A basic three-strand plait or braid. (7) Toatt: A tuft, whether of hair or of another substance; English provincialism from Lancashire. (18) Torsade: Appears to have two or more meanings. One is a length of hair or ribbon which appears to be "roped"; ribbon thus arranged appears on dresses and headdresses (Godey's 1859). There's also an 1866 reference in Godey's which describes a braided waterfall: "Another favorite mode of arranging the hair is a torsade, or species of waterfall, formed of four heavy plaits united and caught up with a fancy comb." "The velvet torsade which crosses the hair is relieved by lappets of the same..." Godey's February, 1861 (16) A coiffure "of five interlaced loops, and a torsade going around them" from Harper's Bazaar, 1867. Though not named, this style from Peterson's (1865), resembles the description of a "torsade" in Godey's the following year. Toilette/Toilet: One's appearance; to "make one's toilette" is to clean and dress oneself, including arranging the hair. (24) From the French "toilette", meaning "a dressing table; the act of dressing". (29) Tocque: Headdresses that "have lost nothing of their vogue" in 1840, according to Godey's. (15) Apparently a French term for a hat or cap, particularly a style of Breton origin (according to Wikipedia). There may also be a connection to the Waverley novels of Sir Walter Scott (published between 1814 and 1831) which contain a mention of "vagabonds' tocques and turbands." Tress/Tresses: Poetic term for a lock/section of hair worn down; in the plural, all of one's hair. Technically, tresses are braided while locks are unbraided sections of hair, but in context, the distinction is not always maintained. (8, 13) Loose sections of supplemental hair are described as tresses in 1867 (though they are intended to end up braided in with the wearer's own hair). (17) False tresses for lengthening the hair; the crepe portions are braided into the wearer's hair. 1867. (17) Twist: Interchangeable with "knot" to describe back hair; seems comparable to the modern "bun". Undress: See "demi-toilette." Ringlet: One 1840 source mentions ringlets as "cork-screw shaped" curls and gives advice for using pins to keep them neat. An 1846 dictionary uses both "ringlet" and "wave" as synonyms for "curl". I've found no 1850s/60s styling references calling for ringlets; instead, "ringlet" seems to be used to describe single curls or locks of hair kept for sentimental reasons, especially in poems. (15) Rosette: A decoration resembling a rose; often made by gathering ribbon, lace, stripes of fabric, etc. into a round shape. Used on clothes, shoes, and some hair ornaments. Sometimes used as a separate accessory, which may also be called a cockade or badge. Waterfall: A style of putting up the back hair, in which smooth hair appears to spill over a form. It's first mentioned in Godey's in 1863 (14), and becomes ubiquitous around 1865-66, apparently supplanting the twisted or coiled chignon. May be constructed out of one's own hair, or arranged in a separate hair-piece and pinned on. (2, 9) More examples and instructions here. Hair pad or "cataract", waterfall built over the pad, "bow" built over two pads. (9) A waterfall worn (Godey's 1863) Wreath: A crown-like arrangement of flowers, often recommended as part of a ball coiffure. It falls out of fashion as hair arrangements grow bigger in mid-1860s (Peterson's 1862). Wreathes may be worn in the hair, or on hats, bonnets, etc; they may also be to made of feathers or leaves instead of flowers. A Wreath, Godey's January, 1861 (16) References: 1. Arthur, T. S. Arthur's Home Magazine. Philadelphia: 1854. 2. Arthur, T. S. Arthur's Home Magazine. Philadelphia: 1865. 3. Arthur, T. S. Lady's Home Magazine. Philadelphia: 1858. 4.Bartlett, John Russell. A Dictionary of Americanisms. Boston: Little, Brown and Co, 1858. 5. Beeton, Samuel. The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine. London: 1856. 6. Booth, David. An analytical Dictionary of the English Language. London: J. & C. Adlard, 1830 7. Bow Bells. London: John Dicks, 1866. 8. Calmet, Augustin. Dictionary of the Bible. 9. Campbell, Mark. Self-Instructor in the Art of Hair Work, Dressing Hair, Making Curls, Switches, Braids, And Hair Jewelry of Every Description. New York: 1867 10. Cutter, Calvin. Anatomy and Physiology: Designed for Academies and Families. Boston: Benjamin B. Mussey & Co, 1847. 11. Dickens, Charles. The Adventures of Oliver Twist. London: Ticknor and Fields, 1866 (1838) 12. Frank Leslie's New Family Magazine. 1857 13. Graham, G.R. Graham's Magazine. Philadelphia: 1856 14. Hale, Sarah Josepha ed. Godey's Lady's Book. Philadephia: 1863. 15. Hale, Sarah Josepha and Louis A. Godey, eds. Godey's Magazine. Philadephia: 1840. 16. Hale, Sarah Josepha and Louis A. Godey, eds. Godey's Magazine. Philadephia: 1861. (Also available at Internet Archives.) 17. Harper's Bazaar. New York: 1867 18. Holloway, William. A General Dictionary of Provincialisms. London: John Russell Smith, 1840. 19. How to Arrange the Hair. London: Partridge & Co, 1857 20. New Peterson Magazine. Philadephia: 1865. 21. Peterson, C. J. The Peterson Magazine. Philadephia: 1869. 22. Peterson's Magazine. Philadephia: 1850. 23. Piesse, William. The Art of Perfumery and the Methods of Obtaining the Odors of Plants. Philadephia: Lindsey & Blakistone, 1867 (2nd American Edition/3rd London) 24. Sylvia. Sylvia's Book of the Toilet: A Lady's Guide to Dress and Beauty. London: Ward, Lock, and Co, 1881 25. The Slang Dictionary Or The Vulgar Words, Phrases, and "Fast" Expressions of High and Low Society. London: John Camden Hotten, 1864. 26. Vincent, Benjamin. Haydn's Dictionary of Dates. London: Edward Moxon & Co, 1871 (13th ed, 1st ed. 1841). 27.Walker, Mrs. A. Female Beauty, as Preserved and Improved by Regimen, Cleanliness, and Dress. New York: J. & H. G. Langley, 1840 28. Wilson, Sir Erasmus. Healthy Skin: a Popular Treatise on Skin and Hair:Their Preservation. Philadephia: Blanchard & Lea, 1854 29. Worcester, Joseph Emerson, and John Walker. A Universal and Critical Dictionary of the English Language. Boston: Jenks, Hickling & Swan, 1854 30. Tarver, John Charles. The Royal Phraseological English-French, French-English Dictionary. London: Dulau & Co, 1858 31. Christmas, Henry. The Copper and Billon Coinage of the British Empire. 1864 32. New Monthly Belle Assemblee. London: 1846 33. Peterson's Magazine. Philadephia: 1858.

Allgemeine Moden-Zeitung, 1862. University of Dusseldorf.