American Fashions – Autumn 1895

Two women stand in a park. The woman on the left is in a red dress with black accents and very full puffed sleeves. Her bodice front has tiers of black pleats and white lace ruffles. Her black collar has bows or puffs at the side. The sleeves have black bows and white lace ruffles at the elbows. The skirt has pleats creating fullness at the back, and flares out creating width at the hem.

The red is patterned with a repeat of two triangles and a line. Her hair ornament or cap consists of a large red bow and two sets of black bird wings at the sides. She wears white gloves, two bangle bracelets, and holds a slim black cane in her left hand. The woman on the right is wearing a light brown dress with leg o’ mutton sleeves trimmed with vivid deep blue accents.

The lower sleeves button tightly to her arms with a line a of blue buttons. The blue accents on the dress consist of lapels, belt, and rows of buttoned bands trimming the upper sleeves. Her blouse has a very large white bow and a frill down the center front. Her hat is brown with blue puffs and large upstanding brown bows on the crown. She wears white gloves and looks through a long handled lorgnette. Behind the women is a diamond patterned wire fence, and trees and two passing carriages are visible behind the fence.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges