Authenticity

Standard of Accuracy

The Citizens and Soldiers Society realizes that accuracy is a process.  As documentation and technology improve so will the nature of what is acceptable.  What remains is the membership’s obligation to make every effort to improve their impressions to do ongoing research and update their equipage and clothing accordingly. 

What follows are basic guidelines.  Each member will be required to determine their own list of proper equipment and clothing based on these guidelines and their own research.  Consideration should be give to their characters’ occupation, age, social group/status, and background.  Members should keep in mind that individual event guidelines and/or standards may supersede these guidelines and that these standards may change from event to event.

The organization reserves the right to establish standards of performance for accuracy and to accept and reject a member’s proposal based on those standards.  Expect theses standards to change as new research and documentation become available.

Members of The Citizens and Soldiers Society are expected to be in period attire for the duration of the event.  Members not in period attire are not considered to be in attendance.

General Clothing, Uniform and Equipment Guidelines

·         Probationary members should consult with their mentor prior to making purchases.

·         All clothing should be made out of documentable fabric.  Natural fibers and period appropriate prints and/patterns.  Wool blends of 60% or greater wool are acceptable. 

·         Modern eyewear will not be permitted at any time.  If you need corrective lenses you will need to purchase period correct frames or use contact lenses.  Doing without is always an option, poor eyesight is period.

·         Those choosing to wear suspenders will not be permitted to have suspenders with “friction clasps” or modern elastic.

·         Stainless steel in any form is not to be used

·         Hat brass for military impression will not be used unless specific to scenario.  At that, it will be kept to an utmost minimum.     

Personal Appearance

General Clothing Guidelines by Gender, Age Group and Decade

What follows are general guidelines for various generic impressions.  Members need to remember that these guidelines are for creating a base impression only and that some impressions and/or event sites will require specific items.

Standards for Men’s Civilian Generic Impressions
Clothing Item	1840s	1850s				1860s	1870
Shirt (s)	Period appropriate prints or plaids White pleat front	Period appropriate prints or plaids White pleat front				Period appropriate prints or plaids White pleat front. Detachable collars. Shirts with contrasting collar, cuffs and body	Period appropriate prints or plaids White pleat front.  Detachable collars. Shirts with contrasting collar, cuffs and body
Outerwear	Overshirts Paletottes Frock coats, cutaway, sacks. Wool, linen. Large buttons narrow lapel.	Overshirts Paletottes Frock coats, cutaway				Overshirts Paletottes Frock coats Sack coats	Frock coats Canvas coats Sack coats
Drawers (if worn)	Wool or cotton, woven fabric	Wool or cotton, woven fabric				Wool or cotton, woven fabric Cotton knit fabric	Wool or cotton, woven fabric Cotton knit fabric
Trousers	Primarily fall front, cotton, linen. Some center front, corduroy	Center front predominantly, wool, linen, jean. Some fall front, corduroy				Center front, wool, jean, satinette, corduroy	Center front, wool, jean, canvas
Shoes/boots	1 piece front construction for boots, straight last	1 piece front construction for boots, straight last				1 piece front construction for boots, congress gaiters, canvas and leather, brass eyelets and aiguillette	1 piece front construction for boots, congress gaiters brass eyelets and aiguillette
Socks/stockings	Cotton or period knitting	Cotton or period knitting				Cotton or period knitting	Cotton or period knitting
Head coverings	“wheel/mechanics” caps, beaver, silk, top hats, stocking caps etc.	“wheel/mechanics” caps, silk top hats, etc. most repro hats in 10x fur felt				“wheel/mechanics” caps, silk/straw top hats, etc. most repro hats in 10x fur felt	Stetson, top hats in silk, etc.
Neckwear	Big cravat, asymmetrical. Varied knots	Big cravat, varied knots, patterns and styles				Spring steel, manageable size cravat, cheater tie etc. varied colors and patterns.	Not needed
Vests	Very form fitting and open toward the top, silk brocade, cotton, linen, wool, of better quality of coat, polished cotton lining/back  in brown or black and should have shall collars. Single or double breasted. Padded vests were popular.	silk brocade, cotton, linen, wool, jean. Of better quality of coat, polished cotton lining/back  in brown or black and should have shall collars. Single or double breasted				silk brocade, cotton, linen, wool, of better quality of coat, polished cotton lining/back  in brown or black and should have shall collars. Single or double breasted  Can be brightly patterned	silk brocade, cotton, linen, wool, of better quality of coat, polished cotton lining/back  in brown or black and should have shall collars. Single or double breasted
Other Accessories. Not defined by time period	Gloves worn in day are gray, night are white, kid leather or cotton.	Suspenders – no outside metal friction closure  adjustment.  Should be of webbing, silk etc, dependent upon impression				Belts – double roller buckle, spoon and wreath, single roller buckle, fork tongue, frame, double billet, plate and keeper

Standards for Women’s Generic Impressions
Clothing Item					1840s	1850s	1860s	1870s
Dress (s)	Fan front, back closure, tight armscye, very fitted bodice with angled shoulder
Skirt Support	Multiple petticoat,starched, ruffled, corded	Fewer petticoats, cage crinoline,
Drawers (if worn)	Open crotch (if worn)	Open crotch (if worn)	Open crotch (if worn) Not optional if wearing cage crinoline	Open crotch
Chemise
Corset/Stays	Meant to flatten, usually long. Bias cut in front straight cut in back.
Cuffs/collars/kerchiefs
Shoes/boots
Socks/stockings
Head coverings
Outerwear
Protective Clothing
Jewelry
Other Accessories

Standards for Girl’s Generic Impressions
Clothing Item	1840s	1850s	1860s	1870s
Standards for Boy’s Generic Impressions
Clothing Item	1840s	1850s	1860s	1870s

Standards for  Generic  U.S. Military Impressions
Clothing Item	1840s	1850s	1860s	1870s
Shirt(s)			Federal issue, contract variant, civilian pattern, domat flannel, wool, knit, cotton	Grey wool no pockets with collar
Outerwear			Sack, frock, mounted service, Inf. jackets, Kersey, broadcloth	4  button sack kersey
Drawers (if worn)			Issue, Civilian. Cotton, woven, wool, canton flannel	Issue, Civilian, cotton
Trousers			Kersey in light or dark blue	Sky blue Kersey
Shoes/Boots	square toes, 1 piece front boots	square toes, 1 piece front boots	Jefferson Bootees, square toes, 1 piece front boots	Common shoe, 1 piece front, square toes
Socks/Stockings			Cotton or wool. Knitted to appropriate period pattern	Cotton issue or Civilian pattern
Head Covering			Forage cap, Hardee, Kepi, Civilian pattern	“Kepi” 1872 pattern forage cap, any civilian style appropriate to the period.
Neckwear			Cravat of manageable size of worn	Detachable collar if any is worn
Vest			“Military” style with stand up collar or civilian pattern shall collar. Period prints, cotton, silk, linen, wool, or jean.	Not worn
Haversack			Oil Cloth	Civil War Surplus M1872 Type 1,2,3 M1874
Canteen			M1858 or M1862 pattern with brown jean, logwood dyed jean, or blanket wool covers	M1858, M1872, M1874, M1878
Belts			1858 or 1863	Civil War NCO belt
Belt Buckles			Rifleman’s oval	M1872 with plate and keeper NCO still use M1851Officer M51 or 72 officer pattern
Cartridge Box			1858 pattern	Converted Civil War with a drilled wooden insert
Cap Pouch			M1850 or Shield Front contract made	Surplus Shield Front with fleece removed
Bayonet Scabbard			M1859, M1863	Steel with Hoffman swivel