Quarter plate Daguerreotype of Unknown Female in fashionable dress ~ ca. 1845
Unknown young woman in a sheer dress with leaf sprigged print. A boned vee waist fan bodice with front opening and a high neckline. A beautiful lace collar with large scalloped edge that seems to match the three quarter length lace undersleeves with large scalloped edge. It’s hard to see but the bodice seems to have elbow length wide sleeves with ruffle trim on the edge. I love the scalloped ribbon bow necktie, it looks like it is slightly transparent and it has large polka dots (or some similar pattern). Her hair is parted in the center with long spaniel curls alongside her face, reaching over her shoulders. The rest of the hair is probably tied back in a bun. If you look closely she has freckles, and she looks very young, almost teenage age. It looks like summer. Could it be her wedding dress? She looks so pretty and dainty. She wears ribbon wristlets and a gold ring (the photograph is in reversed image) and a beautiful black lace shawl, with leaf pattern echoing the one of her dress. She is seated, one hand resting in her lap, the other arm resting on a posing table.
Via: Vintage America on Flickr
I think she just has a lace shawl on over the white dress rather than it being some sort of under sleeve.