35029 - Mrs. Johnson, Civil War Era

Mrs. Johnson 1860s Woman in Working Dress

Mrs. Johnson appears to be less than happy. The sleeves of her calico dress billow as she sets her arms akimbo, fists clenched and firmly on her hips. Like most working attire, her dress is made of cotton calico, which was a popular fabric for work clothing. It was lightweight, easy to clean, and available in every color under the sun. But what truly makes this dress a work dress is the lack of the ever-popular hooped crinoline and the addition of a work apron. Mrs. Johnson also wears skirt lifters that raise the hemline of her dress to keep them clean while doing the day’s labors. So is it the workday ahead that induced her grim visage or is it perhaps misbehaving soldiers, mischievous children, or even wayward farm animals?