Some delightful insights here into the fashions of other times. Plus ça change. My apologies for the quality of some of these images, and also for the imperfect credits- they were just too good to pass up.
One use for the new-style skirts, by Honore Daumier in Le Charivari April16, 1856
More unorthodox but charming use of an item of wear; these bonnets were apparently equally useful for a clandestine embrace, or for rendering the lady unobtainable.
Fashion caricature from Punch, 1870. Punch printed a lot of this sort of thing, and beautifully rendered.
This was apparently a Victorian invention, from 1887, rather than a joke, or perhaps both.
The London Charivari, 1871. The Burdens of Fashion: 'What we must come to before Love!'
Regrettably, I have no idea where these came from, but they're very much to my taste. Note the matching headgear.
