Shawl

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Shawls of this type were de rigueur for wearing with the large hoop skirts of the 1860s. The size of the shawls and the design configuration corresponded to the fullness of the skirt so that the entire back central pattern could be displayed when worn. A rigid architectural form contrasting with organic plant forms was a favored design scheme. The three-section design is particularly complex.

The Costume Institute

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Costume Institute's collection of more than thirty-three thousand objects represents seven centuries of fashionable dress and accessories for men, women, and children, from the fifteenth century to the present.

Metropolitan Museum of Art