La Mode Illustrée, Journal de la Famille, dimanche 23 juillet 1882, No. 30 : Toilettes de Mon. Fladry (...) 1882

Charles Rabouille created this print for *La Mode Illustrée* in Paris, 1882. This popular French fashion magazine captured the styles of bourgeois women during a period of rapid industrialization. It invites us to consider the aspirations and anxieties of the late 19th century through the lens of fashion. The print features two women in elaborate dresses at the beach. Their garments indicate a life of leisure, yet the tight corsets also speak to the constraints of femininity in this era. We might wonder about the expectations placed on women to embody both elegance and domesticity, as the Industrial Revolution began shifting traditional roles. The beach setting, with its implications of freedom, contrasts with the restrictive clothing. These images, though seemingly celebratory, also reflect the limited choices available to women, whose identities were often defined by appearance and social status. The artist presents a nuanced commentary on the complexities of womanhood during a transformative period in history.