The Fashions of the Day – or Time Past and Time Present: The Year (1740) a Lady's Full Dress of Bombazeen – The Year (1808) Lady's Undress of Bum-be-seen 1803 - 1813

This hand-colored etching, made in England around 1808, uses fashion to comment on social change. On the left, we see a woman in a full dress from 1740 made of bombazine, a twilled fabric. On the right, a woman in a much lighter, less structured dress of 1808, made of what the artist calls "Bum-be-seen". The contrast highlights a shift in social norms. The earlier dress represents a time of formality and constraint, while the later dress suggests a more relaxed and revealing attitude. This shift reflects broader changes in British society, including a growing emphasis on individual expression and a loosening of traditional social hierarchies. The satirical title, "The Fashions of the Day – or Time Past and Time Present," underscores the artist's critique of contemporary trends. To understand this image better, we might consult fashion plates, diaries, and conduct books from the period, to further explore the social meanings embedded in clothing. Art, in this case, offers a visual commentary on the evolving values of a society.