Opera Dress – Spring 1813

A woman wears a white, ankle-length opera dress with a high waist and low neck. The bust is ruched and there is a ruffle at the neck. A white ribbon is tied below the bust in a bow. The hem has some lightly sketched lace or stitching. The woman wears a long, pale yellow coat lined with white and trimmed with white fur. The coat is decorated with intricate gold designs at the cuffs and hem. The woman’s stockings and flat shoes are white. She wears buff-colored gloves and a white, two strand necklace with a pendant cross. Her hat is white with an upturned brim decorated with three rows of pearls and a large, white plume. The woman’s right hand holds her coat closed, while her left hand holds a program or playbill for the opera. She stands in front of a low, curved wall with a curtain to the side.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges