Once again, delving into the museum's collections, we stumble upon little treasures…

In this case, among the magnificent donation made by Helena Libertad Navarro at the end of 2025—comprising more than 500 schoolbooks on various subjects, all predating the 1960s—an incomplete copy of *La moda práctica* (Practical Fashion) was discovered. Dated May 6, 1908, this magazine, aimed at urban women of the middle and upper classes, is filled with Art Nouveau illustrations and is associated with *El Imparcial*, one of the most influential newspapers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

On the cover, an illustration depicts a refined woman from high society—perhaps even an aristocrat—posing with her elegant, delicate parasol, wearing a splendid dress and a large matching hat adorned with a feather, typical of Belle Époque fashion. In her image, we can observe not only the standards of the time in terms of clothing and accessories, but also in terms of the female body: slender and delicate, with a tiny waist, an elegant and proud, even haughty, demeanor.

Inside the magazine, the subtitle reads "Weekly Illustration of Families," but little is said about family life... All the content is related to women's fashion. New arrivals in linens, Parisian elegance, and hats, among other things.

These types of publications "taught" women how they should dress and act in their usual ornamental role, to fulfill existing social gender expectations. It is the stereotype of the wealthy woman: a good wife and mother, always demure and elegant.

Donations like this help us understand the past from different perspectives, to analyze it critically through the lens of current values, and to reflect on its historical and human significance.

Author: Marian Tristán, Coordinator of the School Museum.