Cabinet des Modes, 10e Cahier, 1ere Planche

April 1, 1786

ONE of the greatest Philosophers of the era of Louis XIV, said, "I do not know why one rebukes a Fashion which, dividing men's height into two equal parts, takes a whole part for the bust, and leaves the other for the rest of the body." (Surely the three and a half quarters of our Petits-Maîtres were never imagined to have a matching authority which justified their actual taste!) Since several years back, one was sensible that in fact, in order for a coat to have grace, it had to divide the height into two equal parts. Could there be clothes deformed more than the coats that they wore, less than six years ago? Their great length, which descended much lower than the waist, and their very short basques, which hit at the middle of the thigh, and scarcely extended to the garter, gave them a sacklike shape, to which one seemed to have applied little pockets. Today, our coats are cut with an agreeable elegance, and there is reason to believe that, while good taste doesn't degenerate, only their fashion will remain.

The Frock coat that the young Man wears that we drew in the FIRST PLATE, has a short height, marked by buttons attached on the hips, with long basques with pockets, descending to under the garter, and which sleeves open à la Marinière, with two buttons. It is only new in its fabric and color. It is of Bourbon wool, with Moorish grey scales.

The Collar, climbing to the cheeks, and descending almost on the shoulders, is of a black silk velvet.

For some time, one wore Buttons as large as a six-franc écu, which trimmed, or rather covered coats: their deformities made them pass rapidly. One adopted, recently, buttons as wide as a three-livre écu: this sage proportion assures them a long reign. Those attached to our Frock coat are of this latter width. They are of chased silver gilt, or gilded and chased copper. We can prevent ourselves from regretting plain Buttons.

The young Man wears under his Frock coat a Gilet of pink satin, with wide black stripes across it: between the stripes is a brocade representing a Knight and a Foot Soldier. This Knight and this Foot Soldier never walk together, between the same stripes. Our Petits-Maîtres wear versicolored Gilets, and there are none today with a reigning color. We have adopted the one that we have represented, as to please particularly by its composition.

The Breeches of the young Man are of dark straw colored cotton wool: three little white buttons close the sides over the garters. His silk Stockings have long stripes, blue and white. His Shoes have squared tips. His Buckles are oval. On his head is a Hat à l'Androsmane, which covers a rather long squared Grecque, and four large Curls on each side, of which three are under and one is above. A Cadogan fastened a little low holds the hair in the back.

Our young Man carries under his left arm a Bamboo Cane with a golden apple, and two very large Watches in his pockets.

Before finishing this detail, we must say that the color which begins to reign for the wool, is the very dark natural green, alternately called Dragon-Green.

The Frock coat is of the cut and fashioning of M. Delcroix, Tailor, residing in rue Jean-Tison, near the Louvre. M. Delcroix dresses a very great number of young People, who have chosen him because of his taste. He gives grace to clothing, and makes, to a certain point, bodily defects disappear. One can, in all confidence, write to him to make oneself dressed fashionably.