What would you have worn if you lived during the Civil War era? It depends on who you were! For example, upper-class women wore tight corsets, bustles, and wide hoop skirts to fancy balls. The layers weighed almost 30 pounds (14 kilograms)! For everyday, whether at home or nursing soldiers, women put on multiple layers of simple fabrics. Some daredevils sported women's trousers-called Bloomers-to make a statement on women's rights. Read more about...

What would you have worn if you lived in the Old West? It depends on who you were! For example, Native Americans made clothing from rabbit fur, deerskins, buffalo hides, and plant fibers. They decorated their clothing with beads, porcupine quills, fringe, and feathers. However, cowboy gear included leather chaps, boots, and bandanas. Cowboys used their tall, wide-brimmed hats for protection from sun and rain and sometimes to carry water. Read more...

Illustrations, photographs, and text describe the fashion trends of the United States from the 1930s to the 1950s, with information on styles, designers, manufacturing, materials, and other related topics.