Fashions and Bonnets – Winter 1836

Four bonnets, and three women in fashions for December 1836. The hat in the top left hand corner is a grey bonnet with a wide brim. The brim has a straight edge and is divided into four, horizontal sections of ruched fabric. The crown is gathered in two places, creating three even sections. Grey bows decorate the crown and two grey ribbon ties hang down. Two sprigs of green leaves decorate the top of the hat. The woman in the top center is shown from the waist up.

She wears a bonnet with a ruffled, white lace brim and yellow ribbon detailing. A red flower with green leaves decorates the crown. She wears a grey-green dress with a collar of ruffled, white lace. The bodice is decorated in a military style with lines of tasseled rope trim running horizontally across the bodice. A long chain necklace hangs loosely down the front of the bodice and appears to be folded into the sash at the waist. The low shouldered sleeves have a wide, ruched band at the top, which is set much lower than the natural shoulder. Below, the sleeves are wide and puffed, with tightly fitted lower sleeves ending in a narrow wrist band. The skirt is wide and green, and is pleated into the small waist.

She wears a pair of white gloves. The hat in the top right hand corner is a blue bonnet with a wide brim. The brim is separated into four, horizontal sections of ruched fabric. Blue, ribbon bows can be seen decorating the left side of the hat. Sprigs of green leaves decorate the bows. Two, long blue ribbons hang from either side of the hat for ties. The hat in the middle of the page on the far left, is a charcoal grey bonnet with a wide brim. The brim is plain and has a straight edge.

The crown of the bonnet is simple as well, with a single bow decorating one side and sprigs of green leaves and a white flower on the other side. Two charcoal grey ribbons hang down from either side. The hat in the middle of the page on the far right hand side is a white poke bonnet with white lace trim. Pink ribbon circles the crown of the bonnet and make a large bow in the back. Sprigs of green leaves and white flowers decorate the top. Two pink ribbons hang down on either side. The woman on the bottom left is shown from head to toe. She wears a bright pink bonnet with white ruffles lining the inside as well as the crown of the hat. Pink ribbon bows decorate the base of the crown and a pink bow is tied under the woman’s chin. She wears a short necklace.

The collar of her dress is folded down and creates two, white, lace lapels with teardrop shaped edging. Her dress is a shiny grey with black ribbon detailing. Black bows are tied on the outside of both puffed sleeves and pieces of black ribbon create chevrons down the front of her skirt. The puffed sleeves are gathered below the elbow and the rest of the sleeve is tight to the arm with a folded cuff.

The shiny grey fabric, which makes up the whole dress, is patterned with vertical stripes of flowers and wavy lines. The woman on the right is shown head to toe. She wears a white bonnet embellished with pink and red flowers with green leaves. The brim is wide with a straight edge. The back of the bonnet is made of gathered fabric, with a ruffle at the base of her neck. Two white ribbons, edged with lace, are tied under her chin with a knot. Her dress is grey-blue with a small, low, white, ruffled collar.

The bodice has a seam running down the center to the waist. At the top of the seam, where the collar meets the dress, is a diamond shaped brooch. Two ruffles, starting in the center at the waist, run diagonally outward towards the low shoulders of each sleeve. The rest of the sleeve is plain and tight to the arm. She wears a pair of white gloves and holds a white handkerchief with lace edging in her hand. There is a sash tied around her waist that matches the color of the dress. The wide skirt is pleated at the waist, and a column of ruffles runs to the hem. She wears black shoes with white stockings.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges