Fashion Publications and Children's Fashions: Belgian Publications--Vrouw en Huis


Figure 1.--"Vrouw en Huis" in 1952 offered these patterns for coats and suits. Notice that the beret was shown as a boys' cap. It was still considered stylish which was less true in France. Notice the French look of the clothes even though "Vrouw en Huis" was published for the Dutch-speaking Flemish population.

The Belgian magazine Vrouw en Huis ("Woman and Home") was an important source of fashion information for Belgian and Dutch mothers. It was a weekly ladies magazine with all sorts of home and family articles, but fashion was an important element. They commonly published a lot of patterns. Most were ladies fashions, but there was also a children's section. We have some issues from the early 1950s. It was a weekly magazine and as it was in Dutch for Flemish readers, was also sold in the Netherlands. I'm not sure how popular it was among French readers. Vrouw en Huis started publishing in 1930, I do not know if it is still sold in Belgium. Belgium of course is a bilingual country with both French and Dutch spoken. HBC wonders if the linguistic separation did not affect fashion trends with French speaking Waloons more influenced by French fashion and Dutch speaking Flemish more influenced by Dutch fashions. Vrouw en Huis is a Dutch-language magazine. Even so, HBC has noted many French fashions depicted. The children depicted here (figure 1) wear rather French looking fashions. We have also noted French-looking school smocks and rompers.

Magazine Description

The Belgian magazine Vrouw en Huis ("Woman and Home") was an important source of fashion information for Belgian and Dutch mothers. It was a weekly ladies magazine with all sorts of home and family articles, but fashion was an important element. They commonly published a lot of patterns. Most were ladies fashions, but there was also a children's section.

Language

We have some issues from the early 1950s. It was a weekly magazine and as it was in Dutch for Flemish readers, was also sold in the Netherlands. I'm not sure how popular it was among French readers. Belgium of course is a bilingual country with both French and Dutch spoken. HBC wonders if the linguistic separation did not affect fashion trends with French speaking Waloons more influenced by French fashion and Dutch speaking Flemish more influenced by Dutch fashions. Vrouw en Huis is a Dutch-language magazine. Even so, HBC has noted many French fashions depicted. The children depicted here (figure 1) wear rather French looking fashions. We have also noted French-looking school smocks and rompers. Notice the boy wearing a beret. This seems to suggest that Flemish boys dressed much like French boys. Of course it must be remembered that fashion depictions in magazines do not always depict how boys actually dressed.

Chronology

Vrouw en Huis started publishing in 1930, I do not know if it is still sold in Belgium.





Christopher Wagner






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Created: January 5, 2002
Last updated: January 12, 2002