Fashions – Summer 1844

Spanish-Market Victorian Fashion Print from El Correo de Ultramar 1844

This remarkable hand-colored antique engraving represents a unique piece of transnational textile history, published in July 1844 for El Correo de Ultramar, a French-printed journal distributed to Spanish-speaking societies. Set against a scenic park backdrop with stone balustrades and distant trees, the vintage print illustrates two women in high-end walking dresses (costumes de promenade). The illustration expertly showcases mid-19th-century fabric textures, contrasting a striking vertical-striped monochrome day dress with a luxurious, shimmering olive green and bronze satin gown reflecting early Victorian opulence.

Mid-19th Century Promenade Gowns and Outdoor Accessories

Highlighting the distinct outdoor styling of July 1844, this historical fashion plate details the tailored structure of corseted bodices paired with expansive pleated skirts featuring side-trim detailing. The figure on the left is adorned with a prominent striped ribbon bonnet and holds a slender, tasseled parasol, while the figure on the right displays a soft pink floral-lined lace cap that frames her face. Offering precise vocabulary for historical pattern research, costume design, and vintage print dealers, this specific archive image captures the essence of summer outerwear during the mid-nineteenth century.