Weldon's Ladies'Journal, february 1902, No. 179 1902

This page from Weldon's Ladies' Journal, February 1902, is an early example of print media! I imagine it was made with careful precision, from the initial sketch, to the meticulous inking of each line, and the registration of the colors to bring these figures to life. I wonder what it was like to be the person who designed this? What were they thinking as they conceived these outfits? Were they dreaming of high society, envisioning elegant women gracing grand halls in these creations? Or were they simply focused on the technical challenge of translating current fashion into a readily reproducible pattern? Look how each dress tells a story through its color and form, from the earthy tweed to the delicate pink. The artist makes use of lines and shading to evoke volume and texture. There's an exchange happening, between the artist, the subject matter, and, of course, the viewer. Fashion continues to draw from earlier periods, creating something new, in an ongoing conversation with the past!