Ffasiwn

18th-19th century magazines and journals on men and women's fashions and dress.

Englishwoman’s Domestic Magazine

In print: 1860-1878

Online at 19th Century UK Periodicals: 1852-1882

Contained serial fiction, articles, essays, biographical sketches, fashions, domestic recipes, poetry, bills of fare for dinner, biography, domestic history of England, gardening, needlework designs. The first paper to be published for women of the middle classes, and particularly the lower-middle classes, and it was the first British women’s magazine to achieve anything approaching mass sales.

More information on the Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine.

Lady’s Magazine

In print: 1772-1814; 1772; 1775-1776; 1783-1791; 1793-1795; 1800-1814

Claimed to be written by ladies for ladies, and at the price, aimed at the upper classes. Short stories, serialised fiction, poetry, essays extolling feminine virtues, advice to wives and mothers, recipes (both culinary and medicinal), biographies of historical figures, world geography, domestic and foreign news reports, London and Paris fashions, alongside embroidery patterns for homemade garments.

More information on Lady's Magazine.

Lady’s Monthly Museum

In print: 1805-1813; 1805-1806; 1810; 1813.

Online at 19th Century UK Periodicals: 1800-1830

Aimed at upper class ladies, and featuring essays, anecdotes, reviews, correspondence, historical sketches, biographies, book reviews, fashion, poetry, serial fiction, celebrated British ladies, arts, and theatre. Merged with Lady’s Magazine in 1832.

More information on Lady's Monthly Museum.

Lady’s Pictorial

In print: 1891

The Lady’s Pictorial was a periodical aimed squarely at middle class women, and a rival to The Queen. It regularly printed articles on the enlargement of women’s sphere, particularly in employment. A large number of women were employed on the staff.

Ladies’ Treasury

In print: 1866-1868; 1876-1881.

Online at 19th Century UK Periodicals: 1857-1895

Aimed at filling the time of the leisured classes, it featured literature, languages (French and German), dressmaking, literary notices, household management, cookery, millinery, needlework, Parisian gossip, fashions, tales, narratives, brief biographies, poetry, flower drawing, paper flower making, music and drama, notices of new books, notices to correspondents, inquiries and advertisements.

More information on Ladies' Treasury.

The Queen, the Lady’s Magazine

In print: 1890-1892

Aimed at a wealthy audience, featuring fashion, news and stories and weddings, announcements. Similar format and content to Lady’s Pictorial. Heavily illustrated with full length fashion illustrations, as well as lace patterns, children’s clothing, bonnets, hairstyles, and peoples from around the world.

Digital resources

The magazine of the women's liberation movement, Spare Rib, is fully digitised and freely available online, covering the period 1972-1993.

Members of Cardiff University may access 19th Century UK Periodicals, where the following women's journals may be viewed:

Alexandra Magazine and Woman's Social and Industrial Advocate, May-Aug 1864
…continued as Alexandra Magazine and Englishwoman's Journal 1864-65

Belle Assemblée, or, Bell's court and fashionable magazine addressed particularly to the ladies, 1806-32
…continued as Court Magazine and Belle Assemblée, 1832-36
…continued as Court Magazine and Monthly Critic, Jan-Dec 1837
…continued as Court Magazine and Monthly Critic, and Ladies' Magazine and Museum of the Belles Lettres (United with “the Court Magazine and Monthly Critic”), 1838-48

British Mothers' Magazine 1845-55
…continued as British Mothers' Journal 1856-63
…continued as British Mothers' Family Magazine, 1864

British Women's Temperance Journal, 1883-92
…continued as Wings, 1892-1900

Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine, etc., 1852-79
…continued as Illustrated Household Journal and Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine, 1880-81

Englishwoman's Review: a journal of woman's work, 1866-69
…continued as Englishwoman's Review of Social and Industrial Questions, 1870-1900

Journal of the Women's Education Union, 1873-81

Ladies' Cabinet of Fashion, Music and Romance, 1832-70

Ladies' Fashionable Repository, 1809-?
…continued as Raw’s Ladies Fashionable Repository, 1829-34
…continued as Pawsey's Ladies Fashionable Repository, 1837-1900

Ladies' Treasury, The. An illustrated magazine of entertaining literature, 1858-95

Lady's Monthly Museum, The; or, polite repository of amusement and instruction being; an assemblage of whatever can tend to please the fancy interest of the mind or exalt the character of the British Fair, 1800-1816
…continued as Ladies Monthly Museum, &c, 1817-28
…continued as Ladies Museum, &c, 1829-32

Lady's Newspaper & Pictorial Times, 1847-63

Woman at Home; Annie S. Swan's magazine, 1893-1900

Woman's Advocate, 1874

Women and Work; a weekly industrial, educational, and household register for women, 1874-76

Women's Penny Paper, 1888-90
…continued as Women's Herald, 1891-93
…continued as Woman's Signal, 1894-99

Women's Union Journal, The; organ of the Women's Protective and Provident Association, 1876-90
…continued as Quarterly Report and Review, Apr 1891
…continued as Women's Trade Union Review, 1891-1900

World of Fashion and Continental Feuilletons, 1824-51
…continued as Ladies Monthly Magazine, The World of Fashion, 1852-79
…continued as Le Monde Élégant, or the World of Fashion, 1880-91