Women’s fashion in the 19th Century changed significantly from decade to decade. To ensure you are presenting the look of a Civil War era woman, (1861 to 1865), you must understand the fashion of that particular time and how to achieve it. It is not enough to wear a long skirt and call it done. The look may be slightly different between the North and the South and between the classes; however, the basic look remained the same.
Other pages of this site discuss the appropriate fabrics and color combinations. The pages under this heading will address the structure of the look.