Paris Fashions – 1846

There are two women in a parlor. The one on the left rests against the arm of an elaborately carved chair with blue upholstery. She wears Chinese inspired attire. Her hat is a small green and gold pyramid held on with an elaborate gold hair pin. Her dress is pink with a green and gold brocade underskirt in the same style as her hat, and her slippers are red. Over her dress she wears a white lace mantelet with a gold pattern, gold brooches or clasps at each shoulder, and long bell sleeves, with a long strand of pearls worn over it. She wears large red and gold earrings, white gloves with gold cuffs, and holds a green tea cup and saucer and a spoon. The woman on the right stands with a laurel wreath with white flowers on her hair, and holds a white and gold fan in her right hand. Her dress is light blue satin with an off the shoulder neckline and short sleeves. Two white lace tiers edge the neckline, with a corsage of white flowers at the center. The dress has a decollete neck and a pointed waist. Four tiers of white lace edged with ruching decorate the front of the skirt. There are two more tea cups and saucers sitting on the table to the right. The small table has gold legs in the shape of egrets or herons, and there is white drapery behind the two women.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges