Before the American Civil War, ready-made clothing existed but was limited in variety. Coats, jackets and underwear were only available in predetermined sizes. Most clothes were made by tailors, by individuals, or by family members at home. The Civil War was a pivotal event in the historical development of men's ready-to-wear. At the start of the Civil War, most uniforms were custom made in workers' homes under a government contract. However, as the war continued, manufacturers began building factories that could quickly and efficiently meet the military's growing demands. These factories were able to produce uniforms for a fraction of the cost of household sewers. Mass production of uniforms required the development of standard sizes. Measurements taken on soldiers revealed that certain sets of measurements tended to repeat themselves with predictable regularity. Some relationships between shoulder and waist measurements were more common than others. After the war, these measurements were used to create the first commercial waist scales for men. Today, these ratios p...