Daguerreotype of Young Woman with her bonnet and parasol

This ambrotype is a portrait of a young woman. As for the dating, it can be determined by the bodice style of the dress which was popular across a span of several years during the 1840s.

The bodice, shaped by a long rigid corset, comes to a V-shaped point at the bottom. The neckline is somewhat open and finished with a ruffled of lace. The skirt reveals a generous amount of pleating as evidenced at the front and sides. Similar styles can be dated to circa 1847.

The dress fabric may be cotton, as evidenced by the soft folds of the bodice front and skirt. The printed textile design alternates stripes of a floral pattern with patterned horizontal lines.

Her hair is parted in the middle with loose curls gathered at the nape of her neck. This style is nearly universal for women during this period. Nearly all women parted their hair in the center in the forties.

As for accessories, a simple narrow bracelet adorns one of her wrists. She wears a brooch at the neckline and appears to have a ring on the third finger of her right hand. She has draped a long chain around her neck but it is impossible to see what lies in the folds of her skirt, perhaps a watch.

Her bonnet lies on the covered table beside her. Made of woven and light-colored straw and with a with a long brim, it appears to be decorated with an exuberance of fabric flowers. The parasol, just visible, may have a finger ring at the base or a decorative ferrule.

References

Severa, Joan. Dressed for the Photographer: Ordinary Americans & Fashion, 1840-1900. Kent, Ohio: The Kent State University Press, 1995.