French Fashions – 1847

Two women in a parlor with a flagon on a tray, and a glass with a spoon on the table, possibly medicine. The woman on the left is sitting in a green upholstered arm chair, and wears a white lace cap with green ribbon. Her dress or nightdress is white with long sleeves and a narrow collar. Over it she wears a dressing gown of pale blue with a red quilted collar and lapels, and red lining. It has long bell sleeves and floral patterns in black on the hems of the sleeves, the bodice, and on the skirt at each side. There are black round buttons, or frog fastenings, and button loops down the edges of the lapels to the hem. A long black cord ending in tassels is tied at her waist. She carries a white handkerchief in her right hand.

The woman on the right is standing behind the chair and rests her right hand on it. Her hair up in a braided bun with side ringlets, and red flowers adorn the sides at her ears. Her dress is a bright yellow court dress with an off the shoulder neckline and pointed waistline. Around the neckline and down the sides is wide white lace trim with red flowers and green leaves, matching the ones in her hair, at intervals on the neckline, at the sides of the skirt and along the hem. She wears white gloves and a small bracelet, and carries a fan in her left hand.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges