Woman in Paris wearing a checkered dress
Click here to view it larger.
This little carte de visite image has obviously seen better days, but I thought I’d share it because I think it’s refreshing to see a woman in that era posing in something other than black or dark clothing. The details of her outfit are interesting once you enlarge it. And the other thing you notice once you enlarge it is that she’s got a bit of a smile. The photographer is F. Clement of Paris. Below is the back [click to enlarge], which is hard to read with all the blotches (not to mention the language I don’t speak), but which still has some interesting content, including some penciled notations.
Pics of Then 
She does have a nice expression. The cut of her dress seems unusual. The low-cut checkered part seems purely decorative, but the pockets add a practical element.
I was thinking it had unusual elements, too, but I’m not enough of a fashion expert, especially a European fashion expert, to say. And yes, pockets! 🙂