French Fashions – Autumn 1857

Four women and a man are depicted indoors. The man, standing at the left, wears a black double breasted frock coat with black trousers, black shoes, blue gloves, and he carries a top hat. The woman next to him wears her hair half up with falling ringlets at the sides, decorated with white flowers. Her dress is pink with many white ruffles, short sleeved, and has an off the shoulder neckline. There are white bows on each sleeve as well as on the skirt.

The skirt has multiple layers decorated with ruffles, and bows accent each scallop of the tiers. She has a corsage of white flowers at the center of her bodice. Her accessories include white gloves and gold bracelets on each arm. The woman next to her, sitting in a chair, faces away. She wears a white lace bonnet with green detailing. Her dress is green brocade with long bell sleeves and decorative striped trimmings. The stripes run down the side of her skirt and edge her bodice, coming to a point at the center back. The striped trim on the bodice and a sash both have fringed edges.

The horizontal stripes are white, black ,yellow, pink and gray. Her collar is white lace and she has a pointed waist. The woman next to her wears a white headpiece, made of lace and flowers. Her dress is gray with blue horizontal stripes. She has a plain collar with buttons down her bodice. The sleeves are long and full, gathered at the wrist, with the oversleeves bell shaped and trimmed with wide blue stripes. Her skirt has four wide blue stripes. Her accessories include white gloves. The woman on the far right wears a white bonnet with black plumes and pink flowers. Her dress is white, green, pink and yellow plaid with long full white sleeves.

She covers her dress with a black cloak that has tassels at the bottom. She wears white gloves and holds a white handkerchief in her left hand.
Credit: The Claremont Colleges