American Fashions – 1897

Two women are standing in an elegant room. The woman on the left is in a high-collared light olive green dress with small leg o’ mutton sleeves. Her dress has black floral pattern bands across the skirt in diagonals. The same black pattern forms the lapels of the bodice,and a v shaped decorations at the wrists.

Lace ruffles adorn her wrists and create a ruff at the neck. Her small cap is made of rose pink flowers and green leaves. The woman on the right is in a high-collared red dress with black stripes as decoration. She wears a yellow blouse. The bodice is open at the front and edged with three graduated black bands forming v shapes. The collar is black with a round jeweled pin at the center front. Black stripes decorate the pleated oversleeves, the hems of the sleeves, and create a faux peplum at the hips. White lace ruffles edge the neck and wrists. She is wearing a black hat of many bows, with a yellow plume, and a sparkling buckle.

She holds a small book in her hand, resting it on the table behind her. Both women are wearing round gold earrings and white gloves. Behind the women is a table with a green table cloth, with a gold box on top, an arm chair, a large oriental vase on a stand filled with a potted palm, and large windows with tied white half curtains.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges