American Evening Gown – 1895

Late Victorian Evening Gowns and 1890s American High Fashion

This exquisite hand-colored fashion plate from Autumn 1895 displays a glamorous American evening gown from the publication La Mode de Paris. Edited by Henry Petit and published by A. McDowell and Co. in New York, the engraving shows a woman standing elegantly on an indoor stone staircase. She models a striking gown crafted with dramatic dark purple velvet upper sleeves and a contrasting lavender damask fabric.

Gilded Age Leg o Mutton Sleeves and Historic Textiles

The historical print highlights the iconic voluminous leg-of-mutton sleeve trend combined with a structured hourglass silhouette. The dress features a stylized black lace capelet overlay, detailed gold trim with rosettes at the waist, and a long flowing train. This illustration provides a perfect resource for elite women’s apparel during the late 19th-century Gilded Age.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges