Children’s Fashions – 1847

Eight children are depicted playing in a garden. All the girls dresses have calf length skirts. The girl on the farthest left wears her hair half up, tied with a black ribbon. She wears a black choker and a white and pink striped dress with a wide square neckline and material gathered up at the back. She wears gray ankle boots and holds a butterfly net in her right hand. Next to her is a younger girl who is watching her attempt to catch butterflies.

She wears her hair half up as well and has a gray dress with a wide square neckline. Her dress is short sleeved, edged in ruffles and has buttons down the center front. She wears gray ankle boots. Next to her is an older girl who holds pink flowers in her right hand and takes something, possibly a bird’s nest, from the boy next to her with her left hand. She wears her hair half up, tied with blue ribbon.

Her dress is blue with a wide square neck, short sleeves and buttons down the center front of the bodice. There is fabric gathered in the back, and bows as trimming and a ruffle at the hem, Under her dress, she wears a white shirt with a plain collar and long sleeves. She wears gray ankle boots. The boy in the tree wears a gray outfit consisting of a jacket and short pants. His jacket is long sleeved and his pants end just below the knee. He wears black ankle boots.

Below him is a baby sitting on the ground, playing with a toy.The baby wears a maroon outfit typically worn by infants, and black ankle boots. Standing next to the baby is a young girl who wears a yellow dress and brown loafers. Her dress has a square neckline and is short sleeved. Down the center front are pleats and in the back is gathered, The dress is edged in lace. She wears a red bead necklace and holds twigs in her right hand. Next to her is an older girl trying to capture her attention. She wears her hair half up and a pale blue dress. Her dress has long sleeves, a plain collar and buttons down the center front.

She wears gray ankle boots. Next to her is the eldest girl, who wears a black Breton hat with blue ribbon. She holds red berries in her hands, which capture the attention of the little girl in the yellow dress. The older girl’s dress is white and blue striped with blue ruffled edging and long sleeves. She also wears brown boots. Next to her, on the ground, lies a pink scarf and a white hat.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges