Elegantia, of tijdschrift van mode, luxe en smaak voor dames, Februari 1808, No. 37: Diadême de Fleurs et Argent,... 1808

This fashion plate comes from the Dutch magazine Elegantia, published in February 1808. Magazines like this, which flourished in Western Europe and the United States, played a vital role in shaping and disseminating ideas about taste, luxury, and social status among women. Fashion plates were more than just pretty pictures. They offered women of the rising middle class access to a world of aristocratic elegance. They presented specific visual codes: here, the high-waisted dress, delicate jewelry, and carefully draped shawl signal refinement and sophistication. This style, popular during the Napoleonic era, draws heavily from classical antiquity. Consider how the magazine itself functions as an institution. It dictates what is desirable and fashionable, reinforces social hierarchies, and promotes consumerism. By studying these images, along with related texts like letters, diaries, and advertisements, we can gain a deeper understanding of the social and cultural values of the time.