Promenade dress

American

Not on view

In the 1860s, dress swelled in volume, but like the dresses we most associate with Scarlett O'Hara, their grand circumferences were supported by crinolines or hoops, allowing some air to circulate below. In fact, some caricatures rendered the new forms almost like unstable parachutes. As seen in Impressionist paintings, like French dresses were worn outdoors in parks and for summer promenades. Women could hardly sprint, but there was a modicum of buoyancy.

Promenade dress, cotton, American

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.