1862-vienna-fashions - A group of people standing next to each other

Fashion plate from the Wiener-Moden-Zeitung, July 1862, apparently showing river scene with steamboat.
The ladies in the center seem to be having difficulty conducting an intimate conversation (my silly caption for this: "Don't try to whisper in my ear, or

your crinoline will tip up, dear"). For a serious discussion of this issue, see "The Wearing of Costume" by Ruth M. Green (ISBN 0-273-43736-4), p. 145...