When looking for appropriate Civil War Era clothing it always helps to know who you are in the 19th Century. Age, occupation and social standing as well as region in which you might have lived all play a part in how a gentlemen would dress.
Although a gentleman's basic wardrobe stayed much the same, consisting of shirt, trouser, waistcoat or vest, coat and tie, there were some fashionable changes in style between the decades. While the basic black Frock coat and top hat were the most common, the late 50's brought in the "suit" consisting of coat, vest and trouser (or sometimes just two of the three) matching, as well as the Sack coat, with it's boxy cut, bulky sleeve and no waist seam.
Collars and neckwear, too, showed signs of change ranging from the flamboyant cravat to the narrow bow tie.
