Journal des Dames et des Modes, Costume Parisien, 5 juillet 1810, (1071): Habit habillé (...) 1810

Pierre Charles Baquoy created this print titled, *Journal des Dames et des Modes, Costume Parisien* in 1810. It comes from a time of shifting social structures following the French Revolution. Here we see a man, self-assured, elegantly dressed in the height of Parisian fashion. His powdered hair, tailored coat, and the sword at his side, speak to a particular performance of masculinity which was deeply intertwined with class and status. The Journal des Dames et des Modes was not just about fashion; it mirrored the aspirations and identities of its readers. What does it mean to perform refinement? What rules are set to define who is in and who is out? How do clothes work as a signifier of social and economic status? Does fashion liberate or constrict? This image encapsulates a moment in time where clothing was a powerful language, communicating one's place in a rapidly changing society. The image allows us to think about what it means to participate in the theater of social life.