American Fashions – Summer 1895

Two women are at a horse race. The woman on the left, seated in a white ladder back chair, is wearing a green and blue dress with full puffed elbow length sleeves. The upper sleeves are white floral patterned lace fabric, with pleated dark green laid over from the top, with smaller lace epallettes at the shoulder.

The bodice is also of floral white lace, with two deep v-shaped bands of dark green at the front. The skirt is light blue patterned with horizontal wavy lines. Two bands of green pleating ending with bows near the hem trim the sides of the skirt, and a small glimpse of ruffled white petticoat shows at the left side of the hem.

She wears long white buttoned gloves and three gold bangle bracelets. She has a small corsage of purple flowers pinned at the waist on the right, and she wears more purple flowers and white lace as a hair ornament. She studies a folded white program. The woman on the right stands behind her and also looks at the program.

She wears a pink floral dress with yellow ribbon-work, a black bodice, and large leg o’ mutton sleeves. The yellow ribbon outlines a square neckline on the bodice with two rows, loops trim the shoulders over the sleeves, and form the collar and belt, both with large bows on the left side. She is wearing a black hat with yellow daisies and black bows.

Behind the two women is the racetrack with stands filled with spectators, flags flying, and two horses racing.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges