Fashion and Accessories, 1850-1899
Title
Fashion and Accessories, 1850-1899
Subject
Clothing, garments, costuming, and accessories from 1850 to 1899.
Description
A collection of clothing, garments, costuming, accessories, and other fashion items that belonged to Northampton County residents between 1850 and 1899. This digital collection is a work-in-progress.
Creator
Various
Source
From the NCHGS Collection, unless otherwise noted
Publisher
N/A
Date
1850-1899
Contributor
Various
Rights
Usage rights apply. Contact NCHGS for information.
Relation
See Fashion and Accessories, 1800-1849
See Fashion and Accessories, 1900-1949
See Fashion and Accessories, 1900-1949
Format
Various
Language
N/A
Type
Various
Identifier
Various
Coverage
Northampton County, Pennsylvania
Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania
New York City, New York
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania
New York City, New York
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Collection Items
Brown Plaid Dress
As styles changed, women frequently remade older, outdated dresses to conform to fashion trends. This brown silk plaid dress is an excellent example of this practice. Originally a silk wrapper, it was reworked into a dress in the 1850s for Diana…
Black Chantilly Lace Canezou
Jackets in different styles were worn throughout much of the 19th century. In the early years, short ones called spencers were popular. By mid-century, the canezou (a sheer jacket trimmed with lace) replaced them. Canezous, from the French Quinze…
Chantilly Lace Mantilla
The canezou's companion piece is this Chantilly lace shawl, called a mantilla. Northampton County resident, Caroline Blass Heckman (1829-?), wife of John Heckman, most likely wore it. These delicate lace garments were prized and could be worn during…
Cage Crinoline
The crinoline shown here came from the Maurice Clemens (1865-1932) estate. The year of his birth indicates it may have belonged to his mother.
The advent of the crinoline in 1856 freed women from the weight of the layers of petticoats required during…
Swiss or Medici Waist
This Swiss waist was most likely worn by Mrs. Anna Wilson Hay as a young girl. Mrs. Hay was the grandmother of Anna Hay Wilson, who donated it to the Society. Her grandfather was Jacob Hay, a successful Easton merchant and a veteran of the Civil War.…
Brown Wool Dress
This dress, worn by Easton resident Esther Donovan, is an example of typical 1860s daytime attire: a jewel neckline, sloping shoulders, tightly fitted bodice, small waist, and full skirt. Creating the desired silhouette of the period required…
Paisley Shawl
Women continued to wear Kashmiri shawls, now commonly referred to as Paisleys, well into the middle of the 1800s. While the basic size and style remained virtually unchanged during most of the 19th century, subtle differences in color and design…
Black Wool Wrapper
Wrappers continued to be the preferred garment for at home leisurewear throughout most of the 19th century. Their versatility allowed them to be updated according to changing trends. This one, reworked from an earlier garment, has the wide pagoda…
Plaid Silk Evening Gown
This plaid silk evening gown was passed down to Elizabeth Clemens (1894-1972) of Cattell Street in College Hill, Easton. The blue and ivory silk, with its woven pattern of trailing purple flowers and leaves, indicate the gown was originally created…
Black Silk Taffeta Evening Dress
This black silk taffeta gown displays extensive reworking from an earlier design. Originally intended for daytime wear, this gown has been redesigned with a square neckline used in formal dinner dresses. The inside bodice reveals how the owner cut…