Galerie des Modes, 59e Cahier, 2e Figure

Petite Maîtresse of the Palais Royal, dressed in a Robe à la Musulmane,* etc. etc. 

"The public promenades furnish the occasion of displaying on oneself all the luxury and taste to which one is susceptible. There is an assault of parures: the comers and goers pass in review and are judged with all rigor. The beauties of the day, who are sometimes no longer that the next day, go there to enjoy their triumphs. Mounted on their raised chariots, to be seen from far away, they hardly pierce the waves of the piled spectators on their passage. It is there that the Merveilleux of all ages parade their choice and satisfy their pride. But it is not there that the sage of Geneva (Jean-Jacques Rousseau), while on his trip to Paris, bore his steps: such objects had hurt his eyes, friend of Nature, beautiful without rouge; he preferred the boulevards to the north of the Capital ..."

SYLVAIN MARECHAL, Notice on the mores of Paris (Costumes civils actuels ...), 1787

* Muslim. Please note that this looks like a zone-front gown!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Ca. 1866 Brown Gown - A Close-Up Look

Pride and Prejudice 1995: The Little Things

Hyde Hall Planning: 1830s Chemises