Lincoln Movie - Your Reviews

[Donna McCreary]

Since some of you have mentioned mistakes and goofs in the film LINCOLN, I have a topic for discussion - the wardrobe of Sally Field as Mary Lincoln.
I have read interviews and watched video interviews with the costume designer, Joanna Johnston. She explained how she based one of the dresses on two of ML's dresses - used ML's actual gowns as inspiration - and actually made the gowns to fit ML's body thus Sally Field had to gain weight to fit the dresses. The result was a collection of beautiful gowns. There are a few historical mistakes, but none that the average audience member would notice.
There is one huge historical mistake with all of the gowns. During the time frame for the film, Mary Lincoln was in mourning. Mary's brother Levi died in October 1864, and her uncle John Todd died in January 1865. Both of these relationships would have placed Mary in a state of half-mourning. Her attire would have consisted solely of black and white with perhaps a touch of dark purple toward the end of March.

So, Ms. Johnston had to make a choice -- either depict Mary in mourning and be historically accurate . . . or, create gowns that would showcase Mary's grand sense of fashion.

Do you agree, or disagree, with the choice?