French Fashions – 1894

Two women stand outside on steps. The woman on the left is wearing a white dotted dress with full elbow length sleeves, trimmed with pink ribbons at the elbow. Over the ruched bodice is a pink vest open wide at the waist, creating an inverted v to the neck. The collar is high, and the lapels also open wide, reaching almost to her shoulders. There is a pink sash at her waist. The white dotted skirt has a scalloped hem, and the pink underskirt has a ruched or padded roll at the hem. She wears tan gloves and holds a white ruffled parasol with tassels hanging from the shaft.

She wears a brimmed straw hat trimmed with large black bows. The woman on the right is wearing a light green dress with purple dots. The dress has leg o’ mutton sleeves that end just below her elbows with wide white lace ruffles. Her underdress is white lace or brocade with a pattern. Her white blouse has a high standing collar. The bodice is open in a deep v that reaches to her waist, and the v is emphasized by wide white lace lapels that reach to her shoulders. From the waist the skirt front is open in a wide inverted v.

The edges of the center front of bodice and skirt are trimmed with a band of puffs of the same dress fabric that continue along the hem.
At her waist on her left a reticule hangs from her waist. It is of the same fabric as her dress, and is in the form of a small gathered bag closed with a purple bow.She wears tan gloves, and a gold bangle bracelet on her left wrist.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges