Le Vrai et le Faux Chic, Musée des Erreurs, Page 12

Twelfth 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 illustrations of three female figures: The first wears a short, military-inspired, yellow jacket, fastened with a large, blue button, and with brown fur epaulets and cuffs, and a draped, light blue skirt, tight at the ankles like a Hobble skirt, fastened with a golden belt around her waist, light blue socks and black heels, a large, blue hat with long, white feathers. The second woman wears a pink dress, tight to the body, with low waist and several ruffled layers, and a matching jacket and socks, light blue fur scarf, fur muff and heels, a cane under her arm, and a large, blue and green hat with brown feathers. The third woman wears a gray Hobble skirt and matching jacket with fur epaulets, a gray hat with black feathers, and a gray muff covering her hands.

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.