Were There Zippers on Ladies' Dresses in 1864-1865?
Miss Hopkins turns around in one scene, and her white dress looks like it's zippered up the back. Historical goof?
shareThe zipper as we know it was invented in 1913 though there were patents for similar closure devices going back to 1851 but not commercially manufactured. http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa082497.htm
They were used on tobacco pouches and galoshes but not by the fashion industry until 1937.
So yes, it's an historical goof.
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