Walking Dress – Summer 1831

Two women and a young girl model their summer walking dresses. The woman on the left wears an ankle length green satin walking dress with a white three tiered ruff at the jewel neckline. The dress has the dropped shoulders of the period, forming a cape type of layer above the leg o’ mutton sleeves that are full above the elbow and gathered into puffs to fit snugly below the elbow.

She wears a white coal scuttle bonnet with yellow ribbons round the brim, as bows on the inside of the brim, and as ties. The hat is trimmed with upstanding clumps of purple flowers and leaves. She wears black boots and lavender gloves. She reaches down to tie the bonnet of a young girl who stands facing her. The girl wears a yellow coal scuttle bonnet with a ruffle and a bow at the back. Her white dress is covered with a black ruffle edged pinafore. The dress has a pleated falling collar with a band of embroidery in white on white at the neck, and a band of three rows of tucks half way down the gathered knee length skirt. The dress has full sleeves, probably also leg o’ mutton style, but they are not visible completely in the picture.

The pinafore is just shorter than the dress and open down the back. The shoulders, center back, and hem are bordered with rows of pointed ruffles with a ruffled-edged pocket on the side. She wears white pantaloons that are gathered into bands at the ankle and have pleats at the hems. She wears black boots and wears her hair in two braids at the back. At her side is a rolling hoop.

The woman on the right wears a white and light blue diamond patterned dress with a three tiered ruff at the neck. The dress has a white semi transparent layer over blue sleeves and a blue under bodice which is showing through. The white layer has a front buttons, wide dropped shoulder leg o’ mutton sleeves, and is formed of two layers, each with crenelated edges, embroidered or of lace. The bodice has a deep v of the crenelated white as well as a shorter second layer near the neck, creating bold patterns.

The sleeves have two layers and are gathered into the shoulder seams and stiffened to stand out and increase the width of the figure. Blue leg o’ mutton sleeves, very full at the top and fitted snugly to the forearms, end in two narrow bands. The dress has a wide blue fabric belt with a tall oval ornate gold buckle fitted snugly to the waist.

The skirt is full and ends above the ankle. She wears yellow gloves, and holds a closed green parasol. Her wide coal scuttle bonnet is pink, trimmed under and on the brim with bunches of pink flowers with pink bows and ribbons. Her black slippers are crossed tied and have small bows.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges