Bridal Fashions – Autumn 1876

Five women, one a bride, are standing in a room with diamond paned windows. The woman on the far left wears a small brimmed black hat trimmed with rose pink ribbon, with a cockade at the side. Her dress is rose pink and blue. The skirt is trimmed with rows of blue edged ruffles on the underskirt and overskirt.

Her bodice is blue with black horizontal stripes and long cuffed rose pink sleeves. Over her dress, she wears a hip length blue mantelet with brown fur edging, and multiple rows of black ribbon or braid on the sleeves and hem. The sleeves are open down the front, so that the mantelet has a cape-like appearance. The front yoke is also trimmed with braid, and has a shallow v neck She holds a closed black umbrella, and wears a black ribbon choker with a small pendant.

Next to her stands the bride. She wears a veil that ends about a foot above the floor. She wears white flowers in her hair and pendant pearl earrings. Her dress has a v-neck and long sleeves. The neck and cuffs are edged with pleated ruffles. Multiple rows of lace ruffles trim the skirt, and the princess seaming on the bodice, which ends in a rounded point in the front. A ribbon is crossed at the center front of the neckline, and a small white corsage is fastened there. The woman next to her wears her hair piled high. She wears a red dress with long sleeves. Her dress has a high collar and triple rows of small buttons on the bodice. Her blouse has white ruffles on the neck and cuffs.

The sleeves and skirt are trimmed with bands and ruffles of the same fabric as the dress. The woman next to her wears her hair back in elaborate rolls. She wears pendant pearl earrings. Her dress is blue with black stripes. Her neckline, sleeve cuffs and overskirt are edged in white eyelet ruffles. Her underskirt is black satin.

The bodice, sleeves, and front of the skirt are ruched blue between the black ribbons. She rests her hand on a small chair in front of her. The woman on the far right wears her hair up with a small blue hat with matching ribbon and bows. Her dress is white with a blue stripe at the hem. The underskirt has black vertical stripes.

Over her bodice she wears a short tan cape with fur edging and tassels at the hem.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges