This May 1851 issue of Godey’s Lady’s Book presents the celebrated American magazine’s mixture of hand-colored fashion plates, fiction, poetry, and domestic advice. The plates display the seasonal styles in gowns, bonnets, and accessories that set the standard for fashionable American women.
Edited by Sarah Josepha Hale, Godey’s was the leading arbiter of taste in mid-century America, reaching readers across the country. Its fashion content remains a key primary source for costume historians. A representative number of a landmark periodical, this issue is available here as a free EPUB download.