White clothing in summer?

[Donna McCreary]

I have to ask why do people assume Lincoln wore only black clothing? Is it because black and white photos do not depict color? Is it because the film industry dresses "Lincoln" in black? Is it because costumes for stage actors, presenters, and even Halloween are black?

From newspaper accounts, we learn that his wardrobe included a variety of colors. He wore suits made of blue linen, white line, black wool, blue wool, brown wool. His waist coats offered several color choices including white, black, blue, gold, and wine. A black suit was considered a business suit, and a business suit was not always appropiate wear for every occassion. For example, a man would never have worn a black frock coat into a ball room or to a wedding.

Then just as now, seasonal clothing was made of different fabrics. Summer required lighter weights fabrics - broadcloth, linen, silk, hemp, or a blend of any of these. Winter suits were most often made of wool. There were some summer weight woolens and some wool blends which were lighter in weight. Lincoln wore a variety of fabrics, color, and fashion. Mary made sure of it!