Le Vrai et le Faux Chic, Musée des Erreurs, Page 13

Thirteenth 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 four female figures: The first wears a green jacket with white, pleated cuffs and two layers of ruffled skirts and a matching Hobble skirt, white gloves, a white fur scarf and muff, light blue high heels, and a black-and-light blue headdress. The second wears a Russian-inspired military costume made up of a blue and gray jacket with tan fur on the neckline and cuffs and a hanging, gray tassel to simulate military insignia, and a light blue skirt, fastened with a white belt, and draped in the middle to give the impression of trousers, black heels, a tan and brown fur muff, and a large, gray headdress with black feathers. The third woman wears a gray jacket with fur neckline and cuffs, matching Hobble skirt, black bag, cane and heels, and a gray cone-shaped hat with black feathers. The final figure wears a white shirt, gray jacket and Hobble skirt, black fur scarf, black heels and cane, and gray hat with black and white feathers.

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.