Moniteur des Dames et des Demoiselles, 1867, No. 857 : Toilettes de Mme Pieffort (...) 1867

This print, made in 1867, comes from a French fashion magazine, "Moniteur des Dames et des Demoiselles." It captures the styles of the Second Empire, an era defined by rapid industrialization and social change under Napoleon III. Fashion plates like this served not just as guides to dressmaking, but also as aspirational images for middle-class women eager to emulate the aristocracy. Note the elaborate detail of the gowns, reflecting the era's emphasis on luxury and display. The figures, posed against a backdrop of a beachside resort, suggest the leisure activities of the wealthy. Consider how such images contributed to the construction of femininity. By studying the material culture of the time – the textiles, manufacturing processes, and consumer habits – we can understand the social and economic forces that shaped everyday life. Fashion history becomes, in this way, a lens through which we see broader cultural values at play.