Le Vrai et le Faux Chic, Musée des Erreurs, Page 3

Third page of illustrated section, "Musée des Erreurs" (Museum of Errors), of book with color lithography illustrations, titled "Le Vrai & le Faux Chic" (The True and False Chic), written and illustrated by SEM [Georges Goursat], and published in Paris in 1914. The page contains an illustration of three female figures with different costumes: the first wears a Hobble skirt and a jacket with fur on the neckline, a large headdress that covers her hair, and black high heels with straps, while holding a fur muff over her left arm and a cane in her right hand. The second woman wears a Hobble skirt and a peplum-shaped top with low neckline, colored with white and with a border and belt, a pearl necklace and several rings, black high heels, and her hair pulled back. The third woman wears a version of Paul Poret's "Lampshade" dress, which consists of an Oriental-inspired top with a beaded brassiere and a short, lamp-shaped skirt with hanging tassels, over a Hobble skirt, and accessories including a turban with a long antenna, a beaded necklace, three bracelets, and high heels with straps; her dress and accessories are mostly colored with shades of blue and green, with the brassiere part of the gown is made up of golden beads and has a gold tassel hanging from it.

The set of illustrations titled "Musée des Erreurs" (Museum of Errors) provides a number of examples of the "false chic" that SEM criticizes, through caricature in both the written commentary and the illustrations, in his book, which consists of a title page, 2 leaves with advertisements, 40 pages text and illustrations (17 pages compose the illustrated section "Musée des Erreurs"), and 2 leaves with advertisements, not bound and kept in a blue slip case with the original white paper covers, embossed and gilded. SEM argues that disorder that reigns the fashion industry of the time. Fashion, he argues, is no longer reserved for specialists, and appeals for the collaboration of painters, artists and writers alike. It is an "eminently French" phenomenon, which lives especially in Paris, although it has become a sort of vice by the time he writes: fashion has become disorganized and ever-changing due to the influence of a group of people who lack discipline and control. This has led to a number of extravagances that reflect on the irrational choices in the costumes and headdresses of women and the complicated and excessive outfits worn by Parisian women.