Morning and Evening Dresses – Summer 1820

The woman on the left wears a white evening dress with short, puffed sleeves and an empire waist. The low neck is trimmed with white ruffles, and matching ruffles run over the bodice from the shoulders to meet below the bust. The sleeves are decorated with two rows of raised oval designs. A white ruffle runs under the bust, and the skirt has a sheer, white overskirt that ends in a deep flounce trimmed with scallops and set with diamond shapes. The end of a white bow is visible at the back waist. The woman wears white shoes and elbow-length gloves. She holds a partially opened white fan and wears a pearl choker and matching drop earrings. Her white hat is trimmed with white ruffles and two large white plumes. The woman on the right wears a periwinkle blue spencer jacket over a white morning dress with an empire waist and long sleeves. The jacket has puffed upper sleeves and a high collar. Under the jacket a high white double ruffled collar is visible ending high under her chin. She wears a long, white dress finished with three tiers of white, ruffled flounces at the hem. Her stockings and flat shoes are white, while her gloves are yellow. She wears a poke bonnet with an exaggerated brim. It seems to be made of white straw and is trimmed with pink bows and sheaves of golden wheat. The bonnet is tied under the chin with a pink bow.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges