Journal des Dames et des Modes, Costume Parisien, 15 juin 1813, (1319): Costume d'une Demoisell (...) 1813

Pierre Charles Baquoy created this print in 1813 for the Journal des Dames et des Modes, a French fashion magazine. It depicts a young girl, around 11 or 12 years old, dressed in the latest Parisian style. These fashion plates offer a fascinating glimpse into the social and cultural values of early 19th-century France. The emphasis on a very specific, upper-class aesthetic reveals the importance of appearances in maintaining social hierarchies. Note the detail given to the clothing; the high-waisted dress, the elaborate lace collar, and the delicate shoes, all speak to a culture obsessed with refinement and status. The Journal des Dames et des Modes played a key role in shaping these values, acting as a tastemaker for the French elite. To understand the full impact of such images, historians turn to sources like fashion magazines, letters, and social commentaries that reveal the daily lives, aspirations, and anxieties of the time.