La Mode Illustrée, 1872, No. 48 : Toilettes de Mme Fladry (...) 1872

This is a print from an 1872 issue of "La Mode Illustrée," a French fashion magazine, created using engraving and stipple techniques. Fashion plates like this one offer insight into the cultural values of the time, particularly concerning gender and class. The elaborate dresses, adorned with frills and emphasizing a narrow waist, reflect the restrictive ideals of femininity in 19th-century bourgeois society. The setting, likely an upper-class parlor, reinforces the association of fashion with wealth and leisure. "La Mode Illustrée," as an institution, played a crucial role in disseminating these values, shaping the desires and aspirations of its readership. We must examine the magazine's historical context to fully understand its significance, looking into the social and economic forces that influenced both the production and consumption of fashion. Fashion plates can be used to reveal insights into the ever-changing dynamics of social norms.