The Civil War was a time of turmoil and distress in our nation, but it was also a time of beauty and elegance in women's clothing.  While studying orginal garments, pictures, and fashion magazine of the era, I have come to find out some very interesting information on the construction of these beautiful dresses.  I would like to share one of those things I have learned with you.

     In our day and time women shirt's are buttoned right over left and men's left over right.  Did you ever wonder how that got started.  One day while finishing up a custom order dress I noticed that I had sewn the dress to button left over right.  At first I was greatly troubled and thought I would have to start all over on the order.  Then I decided to do a some research on the issue.  I pulled out my CdV's (civil war photos), and my Godey's Lady Book to see if there was a right way to close the front of the dress durning the civil war.  Half of the CdV's in my collection were buttoned right over left, while the other was buttoned left over right. 

     I posted my discovery on on one of the civil war message boards, and asked if anyone knew any information on button preference.  One person said that it depend on wether the lady was right handed or left hand and which way would be easier for them to button and unbutton.  Another person said that it depended on wether the lady had a maid servant, who dressed her.  My favorite answer was the following.  Though out history men and women had a distinction in their clothing.  There is a verse in the Bible that states a woman is not to dress like a man.  During the civil war and after women's shirts where starting to become popular.  To make a difference between men's shirts and women's the right over left and the left over right started to become the norm.  So no in our time men wear their shirts left over right and women where their shirts right over left. 

     I still don't know which answer is correct, but I do know there was not a preference during the civil war era.  So if you want to add a little to you civil war impression think about have your next dress made to button left over right.  And when some one tells you that your dress is buttoned wrong, you have a little piece of history to impart to them.