The “Wollstonecraftians”

Neoclassical or “antique” style gowns were part of a broader revolution in style that was meant to echo the radical political changes of the American and later the French Revolution. Like neoclassicism in buildings and art, these white chemise dresses mimicked the fashions of the ancient Greek and Roman republics – lightweight, high waisted, and short sleeved. 

It is possible that this gown was sewn by Catharine “Kitty” Livingston Ridley, the daughter of Susan French Livingston and New Jersey Governor (1776 –1790) William Livingston, in Trenton, New Jersey.

The most likely owner of this dress is Eleanor Armstrong, daughter of Susanna Livingston and James Francis Armstrong. Born in 1785 in Trenton, New Jersey, Armstrong married in 1803 at the age of 18. This may have been her wedding dress.

The Daughters of the American Revolution Museum, Washington DC. Gift of Mrs. Anne Glover Anderson.

Though she died in 1797, Wollstonecraft’s writing continued to influence American women throughout the Early Republic, including Philadelphia Quaker Elizabeth Drinker and New Jersey women voters, who were often referred to in newspapers as “Wollstonecraftians.”

© National Portrait Gallery, London