ornamentedbeing:

The Met says: … The rich color of the royal blue velvet is evocative of the original wearer who at that point in time would have been seen as a precious jewel who required continual attention and assistance. That perceived helplessness is also reflected in the cape’s lack of armholes, which would limit easy mobility. Pingat’s treatment of the trim completes the luxurious quality of the garment with a liberal application of guipure lace in vertical lines emphasizing the statuesque, but somewhat removed, appearance of the wearer.