Four dresses, ca. 1840
Item 11546 info
Brick Store Museum
The 1840s often are characterized as a period of sentimental melancholy. The lines of dresses and bonnets seem designed to reinforce a subdued modesty and frailty in women.
Pleats drawn down to an exaggerated and pointed long waist accentuated bodices, which were often padded.
Sleeves were cut tightly and shoulder seams dropped so low that it was almost impossible to raise the arms. A little jockey cap over the top of the sleeve was popular from 1840-45 and sometimes allowed the removal of a longer sleeve for summer wear. The lower part of the sleeve was gradually widened to reveal a white cotton undersleeve.
Skirts became wider making the waist appear even smaller, and women wore a vast number of petticoats underneath.
The shawl became a popular accessory for daytime dresses and capes or "pardessus" added warmth in winter.
Item 7 of 24
