Journal des Demoiselles, 1er Juillet 1882

Description

Journal des Demoiselles was one of the most renowned women’s magazines published in 19th-century France. Founded in Paris in 1833, it appealed primarily to young girls (demoiselles). While covering topics such as fashion, literature, music, morality, education, and social etiquette, the magazine also served as a cultural guide shaping the era's understanding of female identity and elegance. It was noted for its colorful fashion engravings, sewing patterns, and illustrations of European fashion. Published for nearly a century (1833-1922), the Journal des Demoiselles emphasized themes of female education, elegance, and moral refinement in French bourgeois society and, like other magazines of the period (La Mode Illustrée, Le Follet, Les Modes Parisiennes, etc.), played a pioneering role in the development of the women's press. This colorful fashion engraving was published in the Journal des Demoiselles on July 1, 1882. It depicts the high-waisted dresses with trains (bustles), lace details, and corseted bodices typical of late Victorian fashion. The woman on the left wears a black silk and lace-embroidered gown and a red flowered hat. Beside her, a small boy in a light blue coat represents the children's fashion of the period. The woman on the right is depicted in a lavish navy-blue dress with lace trim and a feather hat.