Got some ideas

[BlaiseNSaddles]

Well, this is going to take awhile but I came across some ideas.

These are cantiniere uniforms and they are quite striking.

[River City John]

Wow! Look at the size of those. . .kegs.


Very cute! It would be a unique uniform.
If you're going to shoot in this, I'd go with the one on the bottom that has more of a straight cut across the bottom of the waist and the buttons above the beltline. May save wear and tear on the buttons.
But I like the hat style better in the one on the top.

Nice pics. Would you share the website?

RCJ

[BlaiseNSaddles]

I agree, I like the hat on the first one much better.  Both have some real points to them.

Anyway -
http://dressreform.tripod.com/vivcant.html

[Steel Horse Bailey]

WOW!

Great outfits, BlaiseNSaddles!  I vote for the "Hardee Hat" look myself.

And to think ... we "modern" folks tend to think that a woman in uniform is a NEW idea! (With a few notable exceptions, of course.)  Yes - I know that it isn't REALLY an issued uniform, but you know what I mean!

[BlaiseNSaddles]

And a military style riding outfit (off the rack - the suttlers store uk)



http://www.sutlers.co.uk/index.html

Personally, I am tending toward the cantinerie styles myslef.

[Guns Garrett]

My wife had considered a vivandiere-style outfit for one of the Musters a couple years back - decided it wasn't "her".  A good one can be had by adapting a Zouave uniform, and adding the skirt.  A couple of the sutlers we had contacted then had said they had tailored several Zouave uniform jackets for women.  One of the ones we were considering was "Timeless Stiches" at:
http://www.tstitches.com/MensDept/mensclothingpg4.htm#Zouave%20Uniforms.   

The 76th and 114 Pennsylvania were especially colorful, and were documented as having vivandieres within thier ranks.  A good site for general info is:   http://www.vivandiere.net/index.html . It also has some photos of present day women reenactors and some good links to other sites.  Do a Search for both "vivandiere" and/or "Daughter of the Regiment", and you'll turn up a lot of great ideas.
Guns

[River City John]

Most of the French uniforms are grey, with cuffs in branch colors. I bet Confederate shell jackets, perhaps for bugler, could be bought off the rack and require very little alteration. Add pants and a plain overskirt. Maybe find some of those long bureau cloths that used to go on top of diningroom sideboards, they often are white with lace border trim, and use as the long apron covering the front of the skirt. A couple of the sutlers sell wooden barrel canteens that could be painted and decorated. I know a few also sell more substantial wooden kegs for water. Maybe the smaller gallon or half-gallon size and add a cartridgebox strap.

[Zouave Officer]

My wife had considered a vivandiere-style outfit for one of the Musters a couple years back - decided it wasn't "her".  A good one can be had by adapting a Zouave uniform, and adding the skirt.  A couple of the sutlers we had contacted then had said they had tailored several Zouave uniform jackets for women.  One of the ones we were considering was "Timeless Stiches" at:
http://www.tstitches.com/MensDept/mensclothingpg4.htm#Zouave%20Uniforms.   

The 76th and 114 Pennsylvania were especially colorful, and were documented as having vivandieres within thier ranks.  A good site for general info is:   http://www.vivandiere.net/index.html . It also has some photos of present day women reenactors and some good links to other sites.  Do a Search for both "vivandiere" and/or "Daughter of the Regiment", and you'll turn up a lot of great ideas.
Guns

I know also if you were wanting to put together a Confederate Vivandiere outfit the only C.S. Unit I am aware that was documented as having one was "Coppen's Louisiana Battalion" which was also known as the "Confederate States Zouave Battalion." There is some photo's of the unit while in Pensacola, Florida, in 1861.

Hope you don't mind the two cents of an "old" Campaign Zouave.

[River City John]

I know also if you were wanting to put together a Confederate Vivandiere outfit the only C.S. Unit I am aware that was documented as having one was "Coppen's Louisiana Battalion" which was also known as the "Confederate States Zouave Battalion." There is some photo's of the unit while in Pensacola, Florida, in 1861.

Hope you don't mind the two cents of an "old" Campaign Zouave.

I thought Rob Wheat's "Tigers" had a vivandiere when being mustered in New Orleans, and maybe up until Wheat was killed early in the war.
I'd bet a vivandiere didn't last long with any unit after the first year or so of the war.


Well, went back and looked through some of my reliable references and could not come up with anything about the Louisianna zouave units and a vivandiere.

[Zouave Officer]

My understanding of Wheat's Battalion is that there was only one or two Companies within the Battalion that were uniformed as Zouaves, it was not the entire Battalion. I know I haven't heard anything about them having a Vivandiere though, but I could have missed it.

I will try and find the image of Coppens Vivandiere pouring something from her canteen into a mans cup.

Most Zouave Regiment's did not have a Vivandiere in the United States however. I know of the 13 Zou-Zou Regiment's in Sherman's Army in 1864 none of them had one with them, and only the 114th Pennsylvania to my knowledge had one who stayed with them for the balance of there service. There may be others though, as I will be the first to admit there is alot more to learn and that I am far from learning it, ha ha.

[BlaiseNSaddles]

Found a place that carries quite a few vivandiere patterns.

Here is the link

http://www.harriets.com/otheroccas.htm

[US Scout]

Some good work with the research.

Note that a military-style "riding" outfit can be almost anything your imagination can come up with.  Extra credit if you can base it on an original, but these were mostly pretty individualistic outfits for the most part.

US Scout
Bvt Brig Gen, GAF