The Young Ladies’ Journal (1864-1920) is an illustrated periodical that was marketed specifically to a young, female, middle-class audience. Each month, the YLJ published several fashion supplements that were distributed with its regular magazine issues. These supplements feature illustrated fashion spreads, needlework design and crafting templates, and dress patterns that could be cut out and traced onto fabric. When viewed together, these supplements provide a powerful visual demonstration of the relationship between fashion and consumer culture.
The W.D. Jordan Library at Queen’s University houses a collection of 229 of these supplements published between 1872 and 1879. This virtual exhibit explores 12 of these collection items – 8 fashion plates and 4 needlework and craft supplements – in depth. Images of each item are placed along a scrollable timeline that analyses visible fashion, design, and consumer trends.
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