Fashions – Spring 1840

The top row shows the upper halves of three women. The woman on the left wears a yellow dress with long full sleeves, and a short lacy shawl with a ruffle-edged collar and ruffles along the hem. The shawl fastens with a square brooch, and the woman wears white gloves and a small, black cap trimmed with black netting and pink and white flowers. The central woman wears a pale blue dress with long full sleeves, and a short shawl, which looks identical to the first woman’s.

Her blue cap sits back on her head and is trimmed with white lacy ruffles, and pink and white flowers. She wears white gloves. The woman on the right wears a pink, long sleeved dress, with a wide white lace collar with a deep ruffled flounce, and white gloves. Her black cap or bonnet has black lace streamers and cascades of pink flowers. The second row of figures shows two women standing on grass. The woman on the left wears a full-skirted brown wrap dress edged in black lace.

The dress has a wide shawl collar. The sleeves are fitted above the elbow; below, from elbow to wrist, they are loose and full, with narrow fitted white cuffs. The woman wears white stockings, black shoes, and white gloves. She holds a ruffled white handkerchief in her right hand and wears a deep-brimmed white bonnet trimmed with a white bow and bunches of small pink and white flowers. Her arm is linked with her companion’s. She wears a green wrap dress trimmed with double rows of black lace down the skirt.

The dress has a fitted bodice, full skirt, black lace ruffles along the wrap neck, and a white lace-edged bodice, showing at the center of the v neck. The sleeves are fitted to the elbow, then full below, with white lace edged cuffs. The woman wears black pointed shoes, yellow gloves, and a pink bonnet with a very deep brim. The bonnet is trimmed with pink-and-white roses inside and out, and a white lace ruffle, turned back around the brim, and ending in white lace lappets.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges