Fashions – Spring 1839

Two women in fashions for May 1839. The woman on the left wears a blue bonnet with horizontal, ruched sections on the wide brim. Blue ribbons tie under the chin, and blue bows adorn the brim. Pink roses with green leaves decorate the outside and inside of the bonnet, and she wears a white mobcap. Her hair is dressed with a center part and side ringlets. Her dress is dark green with a square neck and a pleated bodice. Her sleeves are long and comprised of a short, pleated top section, followed by three tiers of ruffles.

The bottom section is gathered and finishes with a narrow cuff. The dress is belted at the waist and the skirt is full. She holds a taupe colored shawl, which is draped across her back and held in her hands. The shawl is decorated with blue flowers with purple centers and yellow and purple fringe. The skirt is bell-shaped with ruffles down the front and above the hem. The woman on the right stands facing the viewer, with her head in profile showing her bonnet. The bonnet is white, with a deep brim, and white feathers and bows decorate the crown, cascading down the sides onto her shoulders. Her dress is blue and white striped with a white, ruffled collar which crosses in the middle and is fastened with with a flower shaped brooch.

The bodice is plain and belted with a white belt with a black buckle. Her sleeves are long with tucks or pleats at the shoulders, three ruffles above the elbow, full below the elbow, and finished with a narrow lace edged, white cuff. She holds a handkerchief in her hand. The skirt is bell shaped with a wide ruffle above the hem. She wears a pair of black ballet flats with white stockings. Her hand rests on a blue banister as she and her companion walk down a flight of stairs.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges