Journal des Demoiselles, 1er Decembre 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 elegant fashion engraving was published in the Journal des Demoiselles on December 1, 1882. It features three female figures. The woman on the left wears a winter gown made of burgundy velvet and black silk, with lace details and a train (bustle-style). The figure in the middle is depicted in a simple yet elegant dress in shades of emerald green, with a corseted silhouette reflecting the slim-waisted, long-line aesthetic of the period. The woman on the right stands out in a vibrantly colored tartan pattern, a design that hints at the growing craze for Scottish print fabrics in Parisian fashion in the late 1880s.