Washington Square

As the narrator describes it, Catherine develops “a lively taste for dress” as a young adult (14). She seeks to be “eloquent in her garments, and to make up for her diffidence of speech by a fine frankness of costume” (14). Even Mrs. Almond remarks that Catherine dresses “so richly” that young men are somewhat fearful of her. Being shy and quiet, Catherine allows her clothing to speak for her, advertising her wealth, taste, and social class.

The most striking example of Catherine’s tastes comes in the form of a “red satin gown trimmed with gold fringe” (15). Catherine is wearing this dress when she meets Morris Townsend, and it most ostentatiously publicizes her wealth. While to Catherine, the red dress provides a means of self-expression, her father sees it as a symbol of vulgar affluence and, thus, ill-suited to his daughter, who he believes should be modest. It challenges his belief that a well-bred young woman “should not carry half her fortune on her back” (15). It doubtlessly also reminds him of his distaste for the “buckles, bugles, and pins” with which Mrs. Penniman adorns her dresses (17). He wants his daughter to be more sensible than his easily agitated sister.