Fashion plates from the late 18th to the early 20th century are hand-colored engravings that appeared in women’s magazines and fashion journals. Since clothing could not be obtained ready-made, these plates provided information to dressmakers and home sewers on the latest fashion trends. In the United States many of the engravings were copied from plates in French magazines. Two of the most popular American women’s magazines during the 19th century were Godey’s Lady’s Book and Peterson’s Magazine. Fashion plates can be found in the collections of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.
