Revue de la Mode, Gazette de la Famille, 8 mars 1885, 14e Année, No. 688: Jupons & Corsets (...) 1885

P. Deferneville created this print, "Revue de la Mode, Gazette de la Famille, 8 mars 1885, 14e Année, No. 688: Jupons & Corsets (...)" in 1885. It offers a glimpse into the world of late 19th-century Parisian fashion, reflecting the era's restrictive yet ornate ideals of femininity. The image showcases two women adorned in elaborate dresses, complete with corsets and petticoats, which were essential for achieving the fashionable silhouette. The clothing reflects the rigid gender roles of the time, where women's identities were often defined by their appearance and domestic roles. Consider how the clothing restricted movement and breath, symbolizing the limited freedoms afforded to women in that era. The "Revue de la Mode" served as a vehicle for disseminating these ideals, shaping the desires and aspirations of its female readership. But we might also ask, what does it mean to present these ideals in print? How might this medium have amplified or challenged the established conventions of gender and class? The print is both a mirror and a shaper of its time, encapsulating the complex interplay between fashion, identity, and societal expectations.