By the 1870s Kashmir shawls had been in fashion for nearly a century. The advent of slimmer fashions and the bustled skirt meant that shawls became outdated. Some were transformed into figure-hugging mantles or dolmans, lavishly trimmed and lined to match the colours of the shawl pattern. Ornate trimmings positioned on the back of this dolman accentuate its bustled silhouette and complement the paisley patterned textile. Rich passementerie such as tassles, rosettes, braid, cords, tufts, and fringe frequently embellished women's fashionable dress, creating luxurious effects resembling the trimmings found on curtains and upholstery. These trimmings took hours of highly skilled work to complete.The example illustrated here incorporates three long pointed wooden moulds wrapped in blue floss silk. These are then decorated with a multicoloured cord, which must have been made specifically for this garment, as the colours harmonize exactly.