"We're wearing lots of flowers this spring, especially on hats" (Fashionable Magazine), plate IX from the suite The English At Home, from Masks and Faces 1853

Paul Gavarni created this lithograph, "We're wearing lots of flowers this spring, especially on hats," as part of his series "The English At Home," offering a satirical glimpse into Parisian society. Gavarni, working during a time of significant social change in France, uses fashion as a lens to explore the aspirations and anxieties of the emerging middle class. In this print, we see a woman adorned with an extravagant floral hat, embodying the excesses of bourgeois fashion. The delicate lines of the lithograph capture not just the details of dress but also the underlying commentary on consumer culture. Gavarni seems to be asking: Who are we trying to be through what we wear? The fashion of the time often dictated a certain performance of femininity. It suggests how women were both participants in and subjects of a rapidly changing social landscape. The emotional weight of this print lies in its ability to reflect the personal impact of broader societal trends, inviting us to consider the stories behind the faces in the crowd.