Le Moniteur de la Mode, 1896, Nr. 3227e, No. 3: Garnitures et Passementeries (...) 1896

This fashion plate from 1896, titled "Le Moniteur de la Mode," presents an array of children's garments in a wintery scene. Printed in Paris, the image offers a glimpse into the sartorial expectations placed on children of the bourgeoisie. The detailed rendering of each outfit, from the elaborate hats to the tailored coats, speaks to the era's emphasis on outward presentation as a marker of social standing. Gender is subtly performed through clothing; the girls in decorative dresses and hats, and the boy in a toned down, less adorned suit. The backdrop, with its suggestion of leisure activities like ice skating, further situates these figures within a privileged context. This image, while seemingly focused on fashion, reveals a complex interplay of class, gender, and the constructed identities of childhood at the turn of the century. It makes you wonder what stories these clothes could tell.