Journal des Demoiselles et Petit Courrier des Dames Réunis, 1 octobre 1888, No. 1697: Confections et Costumes (...) 1888

This is an anonymous fashion plate from the Journal des Demoiselles, dated October 1, 1888. It offers a snapshot into the world of late 19th-century Parisian fashion and femininity. These women, adorned in elaborate dresses and hats, embody the era’s ideals of beauty and refinement. But what does it mean to be a "demoiselle" in this context? The journal itself was targeted towards upper middle-class women, dictating not only style, but also etiquette and social norms. The plate subtly reinforces the rigid class structures of the time, defining and confining women to specific roles within society. The fashion is characterized by corsetry and restrictive silhouettes. We might ask how these garments literally shaped women's bodies, mirroring the constraints placed upon their lives. These images weren't just about selling clothes, they sold a lifestyle, a vision of womanhood inextricably linked to consumption and social status. The journal becomes a mirror reflecting and shaping the aspirations and limitations of women in a rapidly changing world.