Medium: Multicolor wool challis

Date: c. 1845

Country: USA

Credit: Gift of Mrs. Van Nostrand

Dressing gowns made from roller-printed cotton were less costly—yet equally vibrant—alternatives to versions made from imported silk. Unlike their sober everyday garments, men’s fashionable at-home clothing was often bold and colorful. The tailored fit of this example, while typical for its period, is more suggestive of a jacket than a casual robe.

Object Number: 76.208.7