Paris Fashions – Summer 1837

The woman on the left wears a soft brown dress with black lace cuffs, a black lace flounce at the hem, and white lace edging the square neck. She wears a matching, soft brown capote (a hooded, cape-like mantle) trimmed in black lace, pointed, black shoes, and pale yellow gloves. Her white bonnet has a deep, upturned brim and is decorated with white ruffles, pink rosebuds, and pink ribbons. The woman is seated on a green, armless chair. She extends her left hand to place it in the hand of her companion. The other woman wears a grey Amazone, or riding, dress with a fitted bodice, a large, white shirt collar, and a black kerchief tied around the neck. The bodice is decorated with swirls, and the sleeves puff loosely above the elbow, then are fitted to the wrist. The woman wears pointed, black shoes, white gloves, and a white, men’s-style bowler hat with curly, white plumes. Her skirt is looped over her right wrist, and she holds a black riding crop in her left hand. The two women are in front of a railing or balustrade. Trees are visible in the distance, and a footstool with spiraling black legs, gold fringe, and deep red, upholstered top sits behind the woman on the left. “1837” is written in pencil in the upper left.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges