Fashions – Winter 1839

The upper row of figures shows the upper-halves of three women, while the second row shows two additional women head to toe who stand on a swirl-patterned carpet. The woman in the upper left faces away from the viewer. She wears a white dress with full sleeves and a black bodice with black ruffles at the neck and over the shoulders. Her deep-brimmed, pale purple poke bonnet is trimmed with purple ruffles and deep pink flowers.

The central woman wears a green, pin-striped dress with a fitted bodice, puff sleeves, and a low, vee-neck. Her sleeves have white cuffs, and the elbow puffs are trimmed above and below with zigzag green ruffles. Another wide zigzag ruff edges the neck. The woman wears white gloves, a white bonnet trimmed with pale blue plumes and sprays of pink flowers, and has an oval brooch pinned to her bodice. The woman on the right wears a white, off-the-shoulder evening dress with a low neckline of horizontally gathered fabric trimmed with pale pink rosettes.

The bodice is fitted, the skirts are shaded with pale pink, and the sleeves are short and trimmed with two wide white ruffles. The woman wears elbow-length white gloves and holds a white handkerchief. Her rose pink hat sits far back on her head and is trimmed with white plumes and lace-edged ruffles. In the second row on the left, the woman wears a purple plaid dress with lace-edged white cuffs, and two bias flounces at the hem. Over her dress she wears a deep purple, calf-length coat, which is trimmed in green and is belted at the waist with a tasseled green cord.

The coat’s sleeves are cape-like, reaching the hem and having slits for the arms. A white lace collar and an oblong brooch complete the cape. The woman wears white gloves, black shoes, and a white bonnet edged with white ruffles and trimmed with pink roses. To the right, the fifth woman wears a pale blue dress with long sleeves, white cuffs, and full skirts with a deep flowered lacy flounce at knee height. Over her dress, she wears a fringed hooded white cloak which is lined in deep pink.

The bodice of the cape is edged with white tassels and has three toggle closures. The woman wears a delicate beaded necklace and filet, white shoes, and white gloves. She holds a closed, white fan in her left hand and wears a U-shaped hat which sits far back on her head and is trimmed with white plumes, yellow ribbon, and a yellow-striped, fringed white scarf.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges