L'Ami des Dames, Bruxelles, ca. 1865, No. 935 : Robe de la Mon Fauvet (...) c. 1865

This fashion plate, "L'Ami des Dames," was made in Brussels around 1865 by an anonymous artist, and shows us the fashions of the time. It is a window into the aspirations of the bourgeoisie. We see an elegant woman in a muted brown dress, with two children in contrasting attire. The girl's black dress speaks to the somber expectations of young women. The boy's brighter, almost theatrical costume, hints at the performative aspects of masculinity. These clothes signal a certain kind of status, but also constraints, as the garments subtly dictate the roles these figures will play. The plate offers an emotional subtext of how identity is literally and figuratively shaped by the clothes we wear. The image reveals the expectations and material conditions that shaped the lives of women and children. Fashion isn't just about aesthetics. It's about the silent languages of class, gender, and power, and how we perform these identities daily.