Following the Fashion c. 1794

"Following the Fashion" is a satirical hand-colored etching by the British artist James Gillray from circa 1794, currently held in the Art Institute of Chicago. It depicts two women in extravagant, outlandish fashions. The figure on the left, labeled "St. James's giving the Ton, a Soul without a Body" represents the aristocracy, while the figure on the right, "Cheapside aping the Mode, a Body without a Soul" embodies the lower class. The exaggerated clothing and accessories, particularly the enormous hats, are intended to ridicule the excesses of contemporary fashion, contrasting the social hierarchy of London in the late 18th century.