Greencastle, PA

History: Trains and steamboats suddenly opened up the “world of travel.”  One could travel from New York to Niagara Falls, with luck, in about a week for about $50!  Photography now competed with hand-colored fashion plates for the historic recording of apparel.  The definition of “Instant Messaging” in 1844 meant telegraphing.  In their “Declaration of Sentiments” in 1848, Elizabeth Stanton and Lucretia Mott proclaimed women should have the right to vote.  At the end of the Mexican War (1846 – 1848), territories all the way to the Pacific Coast were annexed to United States owned land.  “Westward Ho!” was the cry of the pioneers heading west in covered wagons.  “There’s GOLD in them thar hills!” was heard in ’49.  Levi Strauss also headed to California and found his fortune in his denim, ready-to-wear blue jeans.

Fashion:  Femininity defined the fashion of the 1840’s.  Skirts became wider, longer, and sometimes were adorned with a small bustle.  Bodices were boned and tight and came to a point at the waistline.  Sleeves at the beginning of the decade were long and tight but flared from the elbow to the wrist at the end of the decade. Stripes, plaids, and damasks were popular in subdued colors.  Garments were hand stitched even though Elias Howe patented a two-thread lockstitch sewing machine in 1846.

Hats:  Bonnets became lower and closer to the head.  The brims extended low along the neck with the ties being attached inside near the ears.  The long horizontal line of the crown and brim of the “coal shuttle” poke bonnet that extended beyond the face, was in fashion by the mid 1840’s.  By the end of the decade the brim shortened to just about even with the face.  Summer bonnets were made of leghorn straw, rice straw, or chip. In the winter, velvet or satin material was used.  The inside brims were often decorated.  Ladies could even buy bonnet shells that they could decorate themselves after designs that they saw in ladies’ magazines.

ca. 1840  Children’s Bonnets.
Medium green silk bonnet with pink ribbon trim and one original tie remaining.  It is sewn over card.

Both are rather rare finds as soft sunbonnets are much more common children’s head coverings and therefore, more often found.

ca. 1845   Ivory silk drawn bonnet reportedly worn for a Quaker wedding. 

The bonnet is missing its strings (ties) and probably never had any flowers, bows or feathers (as Quaker policy would dictate).  I received a pair of silk mitts along with the hat.