Journal des Demoiselles, 1880's (Hats & Accessories)

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 in 1883. The engraving consists of five separate portrait-head studies that highlight the dominant role of the hat in late 19th-century urban women's fashion. The hats, heavily adorned with feathers, ribbons, and flower bouquets, along with the hairstyles framing the face, high collars, and scarf ties, create an image of a "respectable," controlled woman intertwined with consumer culture. The five separate head studies reveal trends that became very prominent in Parisian fashion around the 1880s: Intensity of ornamentation: Feathers, ribbons, flower bouquets, lace-knit textures. The "crown" of the hat is treated almost like a display case. Variety of materials and surfaces: Felt-velour effect, straw or stiff-textured ribbons, shiny ribbons. All are presented on the same page as "combinable options." Facial aesthetics: Hats, the curls of the hair, and the hairline frame the face, highlighting it. This is part of the image of the "well-groomed, controlled, urban" woman of the period. Collar and accessory language: High, closed collars, scarves/ties (neck bows), and small earrings. These should be interpreted as indicators of "respectability" and "politeness" in everyday wear.