French Fashions – 1854

Two women are depicted outdoors, near a river. The woman on the left is sitting in a wooden chair. She wears a black bonnet trimmed with green ribbon, white lace, and green and white plumes. Her dress is lavender satin with long bell sleeves and a scoop neck. Her sleeves and skirt have multiple layers. On her bodice are rows of narrow ruching or pleating edged with narrow black scalloped lace. Similar elements edge each ruffle on her skirt and sleeves. She holds what appears to be a folded feather trimmed fan in her right hand. The woman on the right is standing.

She wears a pink bonnet trimmed with pink ribbon, white lace ruffles, and a short dotted veil over the back edged with pink ribbon. Her dress is medium turquoise blue satin with long sleeves. Over her dress, she wears a black lace mantelet, also with long wide sleeves. The mantelet sleeves are trimmed with wide ruffles with scalloped edges and black velvet ribbon. Her undersleeves are white, puffed, and lace edged. She wears gloves and bracelets, and in her left hand she holds a white handkerchief, edged in lace ruffles. Behind the women is a white column with vines growing up it, and in the distance is an arched bridge over a river.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges