The American South Dress

Our mid 19th century American South dress in reproduction calico.

This mid 19th century sturdy work dress is an amalgamation of several homespun dresses prominent in the Southern part of the United States from about 1840 to 1870.

Early-Mid 19th century homespun dress from Alabama. Private collections.
Furr Homepsun dress c. late 1860s from Stanely, North Carolina. Private collection.

Inspired by these original gowns, our American South dress is made of sturdy cotton homespun or calico. I have adjusted the silhouette of this gown to represent the traditional cut of a working dress from the mid 19th century.

The dress features a loose fitting bodice gathered gently under the bust and at the center back. The sleeves are cut moderately to encourage movement. The full gathered skirt it secured to the bodice via a fitted waistband.

The skirt is hemmed to the ankle and has our signature hem protector. The gown closes at the center front with buttons. Shown over over extra full petticoats (not included).

For an added bonus, we’ve added pockets! Our American South Dress is by far one of our most popular designs to date!

The American South Dress is one of our a custom gowns and can be ordered in your choice of fabric.* It is available in either standard sizing (see sizing reference below) or custom sizing (see our custom order form).**

Details: 100% cotton; fully lined bodice; 132″ wide skirt; standard hem length- 37″; machine sewn with some hand stitched details.

You can place a custom order for this gown conveniently through this posting or in our shop!

Please note this is a CUSTOM ORDER gown. Please allow 3-4 weeks for completion. Custom Order items are filled on first come first serve basis. To avoid delays, please contact us to enquire about our current custom order turn around times.

*Pricing DOES NOT INCLUDE fabric. You need to purchase 7 YARDS of our reproduction cotton fabric to complete your order.

**Please use our CUSTOM MEASUREMENT form for non standardized sizing. Please submit your completed measurements to info@maggiemayfashions.com. Custom orders are NOT placed on the sewing calendar until measurements are received.

About Susan

My interest in historical costume began at a very early age. I knew by age 5 I wanted to be a designer. Over the years I have been fortunate enough to turn my passion into a full time business. You can find my costumes onstage in NYC, on the big screen, and in museums around the globe.