Het Toilet, 1 mei 1880, No. 21 1880

E. Cheffer made this print titled 'Het Toilet, 1 mei 1880, No. 21'. The image presents two fashionable women in their finery, but it also tells us much about the society in which it was made. Fashion plates like this one were common in the late 19th century. In the Netherlands, they served as a tool for the upper classes to perform and reinforce their social status. These images offered a glimpse into the world of high society and the exclusive culture of fashion. The elaborate dresses, with their corsets and decorative elements, reflect the emphasis on refinement and beauty standards of the time. Consider the role of women in this image. They are presented as objects of beauty, adorned in expensive clothing. But were they also agents in shaping their own identities? We might ask how women negotiated the prevailing social norms through their sartorial choices. To better understand the nuances of this image, scholars might consult fashion magazines, conduct social histories of dress, or explore the economic structures that enabled the production and consumption of such luxury goods.