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Dress of the 1850's

I occasionally find single bits of fashion illustration that are insufficient to devote whole pages or sections to. I've decided to collect these random illustrations under broad topics (see above) so that I may disseminate them anyhow. My theory is that they may be useful to someone. I will be adding in images as they come to me.

Basque of 1850, made of pink silk with a chine stripe of roses, trimmed with pinks and white fringe and bows of ribbon to match.

Back view of pink cashmere Peignoir of 1850

Four gentlemen's waistcoats from the catalog of the Crystal Palace Exhibition of 1851:

"In conformity with our plan of representing every meritorious producer of articles which exhibit improvements derived from the influence of art, we introduce upon this and the succeeding column four examples of the embroidered waistcoats contributed by Mr. J. W. GABRIEL,of London. The first two are worked in gold on rich silk and are designed mainly for court dresses; the other two are wrought in silk upon black cloth: the ornamentation is derived principally from natural flowers. The style of modern male attire affords little opportunity for the embroiderer and ornamentist to display their skill; the only garment which admits of the least approach to elegance being the vest; and even this is generally discarded by persons of good taste. In the patterns here engraved, however, we see much that is truly graceful." --The Art Journal Special Issue on The Crystal Palace Exhibition, 1851

1851, Mrs Bloomer in the costume she invented as a response to the restrictive petticoats of the 1840's-50's

Hoopskirt of steel wire and webbing worn in Philadelphia in 1855.

Illustration from Punch, 1857, showing the complete understructure of a fashionable woman's wardrobe.

  Russian extra-small seed bead embroidered purse, c. 1850, in the Cameron Gallery.