American Fashions – Spring 1906

Two women, one in profile, one in three-quarter view, stand on a balcony or terrace, with a distant view of trees and a large building with gables, arched windows, and dormers. A large non-representational frame sets off the figures. The woman on the left models a navy blue suit of chiffon broadcloth trimmed with white ribbon trim.

The trim is patterned with a meandering-key, or Greek key, design. She wears a jacket with elbow length sleeves over a white high necked blouse of lace, with a blue line down the center front. The jacket has fullness at the upper sleeves, giving them a leg o’ mutton look. The cuffs are trimmed with a band of white ribbon. The body of the jacket is trimmed in four rows of this ribbon, one at the waist, two across the bust which end in turned back points, and the last in a curve defining a yoke.

The lapels of the jacket are white satin, and the collar is navy. The skirt is gored and has three bands of trim at the hem, all ending in turned back points at center front. She wears white elbow length gloves and her hat is a light colored boater, worn tipped to the front, and trimmed with a navy ribbon and bow, and a dark feather plume.

She looks at the woman on the right,who wears a sage green suit of heavy linen, trimmed with white linen lace. Her blouse is high necked, with narrow ruffles and small bows trimming the collar. The short jacket has a wide square collar and wide cuffs, both of linen lace in a pattern of flowers and leaves. The jacket has sleeves with fullness at the shoulder, and a boxy cut to the body, concealing her waistline. Her skirt is plain, gored to create the flared shape, and has two deep released pleats at the center front.

The cut of the jacket and the option to create more space in the skirt by releasing more fabric from the pleats, leads one to assume this is a maternity outfit. She wears long white gloves, and holds a cane or furled parasol, trimmed with a hanging tassel, in her left hand. Her hat is dark, and trimmed with a bird and a white feather plume.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges