Revue de la Mode, Gazette de la Famille, dimanche 10 août 1879, 8e année, No. 397: Toilettes de Mme Noël (...) 1879

This fashion plate was made by A. Chaillot for the Gazette de la Famille in Paris, August 1879. Observe the garments, so cinched and structured, embodying the restrictive ideals of femininity in the late 19th century. The tight corsets and elaborate drapery visually compress the female form, almost as if trapping the life force within. Now, consider how the umbrella held by the figure on the left functions as a symbol. As a shield against the sun, it signifies protection and decorum. But go back further, to ancient Egypt, and you find the parasol as a symbol of power, held over pharaohs. This emblem of authority has trickled down through time, transforming from a sign of divine right to an accessory of bourgeois respectability. Perhaps, subconsciously, the women who carried these umbrellas sought not only to protect their skin but also to subtly assert a sense of control within the confines of their societal roles. We can think of this fashion plate as a moment captured in the perpetual dance between constraint and expression.