Mary Todd Lincoln dresses in Springfield spotlight

SPRINGFIELD — Mary Todd Lincoln’s style of clothing will be on display in Springfield.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library is organizing a “Culture of Clothing” event for Monday. Models wearing new versions of the first lady’s Civil War-era dress will talk with visitors and answer questions about Lincoln’s clothes. A similar event was held in Chicago earlier this month. Chicago couture designer Mira Horoszowski created the new dresses.

There will be four Lincoln dresses and actresses portraying Lincoln’s black seamstress, Elizabeth Keckley, as well as lawyer Myra Bradwell. The event will focus on Lincoln’s life and fashions as a homemaker, first lady and widow and mother in mourning.