Promenade and Morning Dresses – 1840s

This antique fashion plate from the 1840s illustrates two historical women’s garments, labeled “PUBLIC PROMENADE & MORNING DRESSES”.

On the left, a woman stands facing away, showcasing a “Public Promenade” attire. She wears an expansive, pleated emerald green skirt paired with a delicate, patterned pink shawl draped over her shoulders. Her head is adorned with an elaborate pink bonnet featuring a prominent bow and flowing ribbons at the back.

On the right, a seated woman models a “Morning Dress”. She wears a tailored, long-sleeved jacket and matching voluminous skirt in an olive-green or muted grey-brown tone, revealing a white lace chemisette at the collar and cuffs. Her dark hair is styled with a matching dark green headpiece and long velvet ribbons. The background is a plain, aged paper background with faint numeric markers “3” and “4” above each figure.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges