Before the district was cerated in the late 19th century, the majority of American households made clothing for themselves. Only the outlandishly wealthy used skilled tailors as the source of their clothing. Then the clothing was intricate and women wore multiple layers of cloth for full skirts and squeezed themselves into 
corsets. The clothing of the very early 1800s when the Garment was first created was drastically different from that of the century before. The clothing seemed to mimic the draping used by the Greeks. Also like the clothing of the ancient greeks, much of the clothing was white with few details as to keep the clean and build lines of the dress.
The Garment District was started for two major reasons. One was the southern plantation owners needed a cheaper, and steady way to clothe their slave work 
force. The owners found it was easier and ultimately cheaper to buy ready made clothing than to buy supplies and have the slaves make the clothing themselves. This way more people would be working the fields and the plantation would be more productive over all. The other major cause of the creation of the Garment District was the beginning of the American Civil War. The government needed uniforms quickly and in bulk to outfit their soldiers. With the increase of new immigrants in New York City, the area found itself with a large population of skilled people who were ready and willing to work.