La Mode Illustrée, 1883, No. 8 : Toilettes de Mon. Fladry (...) 1883

This print, created by Isabelle Desgrange in 1883 for *La Mode Illustrée*, captures the fashions of the Parisian elite. The most striking feature is the bustle, an exaggerated rear silhouette. Such adornment is not merely about aesthetics, but also a statement of social status and identity. We see echoes of this pursuit throughout history. Consider the farthingale of the Elizabethan era or even the padded robes of Renaissance men. These are all attempts to manipulate the body’s form, projecting ideals of beauty, power, and prestige. Why do we humans obsess over such visual modifications? Perhaps it is our deep-seated desire to transcend our natural selves, to craft an identity that speaks volumes before we even utter a word. The bustle, then, is not just fabric and form, but a symbol, a cultural artifact in an ongoing saga of self-expression.