Petit Courrier des Dames, 1825, No. 319 : 1 Chapeau de feutr (...) 1825

This fashion plate was made in Paris in 1825, and was published in the Petit Courrier des Dames. It presents the latest styles for men and boys in the heart of the Bourbon Restoration. Here, we can see the visual codes of class distinction at play. The tall figure's elegant ensemble speaks of aristocratic leisure and anachronistic privilege. The details, like the felt hat and tailored coat, signal a self-conscious return to pre-revolutionary elegance, a visual attempt to rewrite history. Next to him, the child’s costume suggests an attempt at playfulness. Note the way the two figures relate spatially. What are we to make of their relationship? To truly understand this image, one needs to dig into the fashion magazines of the time, which were the institutions that dictated style and taste. Scholarly work on fashion and social history, and archival research into the fashion industry of the time, are vital to understanding its meaning. By doing so, we can gain a more nuanced understanding of the public role of such imagery.