THE HISTORY OF FASHION IN FRANCE.
THE
HISTORY OF FASHION
IN FRANCE;
OR,
THE DRESS OF WOMEN FROM THE GALLO-ROMAN
PERIOD TO THE PRESENT TIME.
_FROM THE FRENCH OF_
M. AUGUSTIN CHALLAMEL.
BY
MRS. CASHEL HOEY AND MR. JOHN LILLIE.
[Illustration]
London:
SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE, & RIVINGTON,
CROWN BUILDINGS, 188, FLEET STREET.
1882.
[_All rights reserved._]
LONDON:
PRINTED BY GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, LIMITED,
ST. JOHN’S SQUARE.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
INTRODUCTION.
Various definitions of fashion—The grave side of its
history—Quotations from the poets—Character of Frenchwomen—The
refinement of their tastes and fancies—Paris the temple of
fashion—The provinces—Mdlle. Mars’ yellow gown—The causes
of fashion—A saying of Mme. de Girardin’s—A remark of Mrs.
Trollope’s—The dress of actresses—Earliest theories of
fashion—The Gynæceum of Amman—First appearance of the “Journal
des Dames et des Modes”—Lamésangère—Other publications—An
anecdote concerning dolls—Plan of the History of Fashion in
France 1
CHAPTER I.
THE GALLIC AND GALLO-ROMAN PERIOD.
Gallic period—Woad, or the pastel—Tunics and boulgètes—“Mavors”
and “Palla”—Cleanliness of the Gallic women—The froth
of beer or “kourou”—The women of Marseilles; their
marriage-portions—Gallo-Roman period—The Roman garment—The
“stola”—Refinement of elegance—Extravagant luxury of
women—Artificial aids—A “vestiaire” or wardrobe-room of the
period—Shoes—Jewels and ornaments—The amber and crystal
ball—Influence of the barbarians 13
CHAPTER II.
THE MEROVINGIAN PERIOD.
Modifications in female dress after the Invasion of the
Franks—Customs of the latter—The Merovingians—Costumes of skins
and felt; cloaks and camlets—The coif, the veil, the skull-cap,
the “guimpe,” the cape—Fashionable Merovingian ladies adorn
themselves with flowers—Various articles of dress—The
“suint”—Young girls dress their hair without ornaments—St.
Radégonde—The hair of married women 21
CHAPTER III.
THE CARLOVINGIAN PERIOD.
Reign of Charlemagne—The women of the tenth century wear two
tunics—Judith’s belt—A veil is obligatory—Miniatures in the
Mazarin Library—Charles the Bald’s Bible—Shoes—Dress of Queen
Lutgarde—Dress of Rotrude and Bertha—Gisla and other kinswomen
of the Emperor—The successors of Charlemagne—Cannes—Adelaide of
Vermandois—The dress of widows 25
CHAPTER IV.
THE CARLOVINGIAN PERIOD.
Earliest times of the Carlovingian period—Variety of
costume in the provinces—Fashions in the Duchy of
France—French taste dating from the eleventh century—Luxury
increases with each generation—The dominical—The
“bliaud”—Canes of apple-wood—Women in the twelfth
century—Head-dresses—“Afiche”—Serpent-tails—Pelisses—The
thirteenth century—“Grèves” and veils are in fashion—The
“couvre-chef” in the fourteenth century—The skirt, or
“cotte-hardie,” surcoat, or overall, or over-skirt, cape,
trained skirt, and “gauzape”—Accessories—Emblazoned
gowns—Various kinds of stuffs 31
CHAPTER V.
THE INFLUENCE OF THE CRUSADES.
Severity of feminine costume—Long gowns and
_guimpes_—Marguerite of Provence—“Fermaux”—Reappearance
of splendour in dress—Eastern customs—The priests
of fashion—Haberdashery and peacock-feathers—Female
embroiderers—Taste for embroidery—Continual
temptations—Earliest sumptuary laws—Furs—St. Louis’s opinion
on dress—Prohibitions by Philippe le Bel; speech made by his
wife—Crépine 39
CHAPTER VI.
REIGNS OF JOHN AND OF CHARLES V.
The States of Languedoc—A young French lady in the
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries—Low dresses—Saying of
a mercer—_Damoiselles_—_Garnaches_ and _garde-corps_—_Le
Parement des dames_—Social distinctions—High character is worth
more than gilded belt—Precious stones—The castles and other
dwellings of the Middle Ages—Splendid furniture—Humble abodes
of the poor—Evening assemblies 45
CHAPTER VII.
REIGNS OF CHARLES VI. AND CHARLES VII.
Taste in dress becomes purer—Heart-shaped head-coverings,
the “cornette,” and the “hennin” in the reign of Charles
VI.—Husbands complain—Preachers denounce—Thomas Connecte
declaims against the diabolic invention—Brother Richard tries
to reform it—The “hennin” gains the victory—Costume of Jeanne
de Bourbon—“Escoffion”—An absurd figure—Gravouère—Isabeau
de Bavière—Gorgiasetés—Tripes—Splendour of the court—Agnes
Sorel—“Coiffe adournée;” diamonds; the carcan—Walking-sticks 51
CHAPTER VIII.
REIGNS OF LOUIS XI., CHARLES VIII., AND LOUIS XII.
Duchesses and bourgeoises under Louis XI.—“La grand’gorre,”
or sumptuosity—The “troussoire”—Allegorical and moral
costumes—Trains—Head-dresses—“Collets rebrassés”—Wigs
and false hair—Some results of the war in Italy—Italian
fashions—“Sollerets” and slippers—Gorgets—Garters—Jean Marot
writes against novelties—Anne of Brittany—Pins—Menot “the
golden-tongued”—A Parisian in the time of Louis XII.—Coat à
l’Italienne—Manufacture of stuffs 61
CHAPTER IX.
REIGN OF FRANCIS I.
The court of Francis I.—A speech of Charles V.—The
king’s liberality—Order of the Cordelière—Word-paintings
of the fashions of the day, by Rabelais—Costumes of
the seasons—Feather-fans—Sunshades—The “hoche-plis” or
vertugadin—Mme. de Tressan saves her cousin’s life—Satires
and songs—Mdlle. de Lacépède—“Contenances”—Silk shoes with
slashes—Head-dress called a “passe-filon”—Increase of love of
dress—The bean-flower—Artistic head-dresses—Twists of hair
called _ratraprenades_—Ferronières—Coaches in Paris; their
influence on the fashions 71
CHAPTER X.
REIGN OF HENRI II.
Fashions under Henri II.—The ruff—A satirical print of
the time—Catherine de Médicis eats soup—The Italian
taste—Regulations for dress—Crimson—Who shall wear silk?—Lines
on velvet, by Ronsard—Rotonde—“Collet monté”—Spring-water—Style
of gowns and head-dresses—Wired sleeves—Girdles—Caps, bonnets,
and hoods—The “touret de nez”—The “coffin à roupies”—Shoes—A
quotation from Rabelais 81
CHAPTER XI.
REIGN OF FRANCIS II.
The earliest queens of fashion—Mary Stuart’s costumes;
her jewels—Description of bodices and sleeves of that
period—Crosses—The “loup” or small mask—Coiffure “en
raquette”—An anecdote concerning high heels—Regulations
respecting fashion—Remark of a lady of our own day on
distinctions in dress—Exordium of the Edict of July 12,
1549—Maximum of marriage portions—The first knitted silk
stockings 89
CHAPTER XII.
REIGN OF CHARLES IX.
The wars of religion—The fashions of Italy are brought
across the Alps, and are welcomed in France—Effects of
the expeditions into Italy—Articles from Venice and Genoa
are very fashionable—A cloud of sugar-plums, and a shower
of scents—Effeminate style of dress—Charles IX. and his
Edicts against extravagant display—Fashion rebels against
sumptuary laws—Women of high rank, bourgeoises, widows,
and spinsters—Wedding dresses—Observations of a Venetian
ambassador—“Corps piqué”—Drawers—Paint—Cosmetics—Breast
mirrors, girdle mirrors—Court dresses—“Arcelets” 95
CHAPTER XIII.
REIGN OF HENRI III.
Opposition to the laws of King Henri III. on dress—The wife
of President N——.—How both sexes evaded the edicts—Gowns
from Milan—Mixture of masculine and feminine fashions—Rage
for perfumes—Recognition of rank is demanded—Costumes
worn at Cognac by Marguerite de Valois in presence of the
Polish ambassadors, and her costume at Blois—Brantôme’s
opinion—Pointed bodices, puffed-out sleeves, and
“bourrelets”—Remarks on hair—Ridiculous dress of men—Poucet,
the preacher—Satirical lines on Joyeuse—Witty remark of Pierre
de l’Estoile—Starch used by Henri III.—Cushions 103
CHAPTER XIV.
REIGNS OF HENRI IV. AND LOUIS XIII.
Universal mourning on the death of the Guises; intolerance
of showy dress—Vertugadins, “espoitrement,” “corps
espagnolé”—Diversity of colours—The pearls, jewels,
and diamonds belonging to Gabrielle d’Estrées and
to the queen—Dress of Marguerite de France—Low-cut
bodices—Head-dresses of hair—Various styles—Venetian
slippers—Edicts of Louis XII.—Caricatures: “Pompe funèbre de
la Mode”—Words and fashions—Ribbons or “galants”—Dress of
widows—“Demi-ceint” girdles—Gloves of all sorts—Patches—Masks;
their use—“Cache-laid”—The Frondeuses—Mme. de Longueville 113
CHAPTER XV.
REIGN OF LOUIS XIV.
Louis XIV. commands—Court luxury and pleasure; disguises—The
Temple jewellery—Fashion and etiquette—Successive
fashions—Royal edicts—The “Tombeau du sens commun”—Dress
of La Vallière—Of Mme. de Montespan—Costume of a
lady of rank in 1668—The “échelles de Mme. de la
Reynie”—“Transparencies”—Manufactures—Champagne, the
hair-dresser—Female hair-dressers—“Hurluberlus” and Mme. de
Sévigné—Moustaches for women; patches—Palatines—Slippers;
high heels—Corsets; fans; sweet lemons—Dog-muffs—Hair
dressed “à la Fontanges”—English style of dressing
hair—“Esther”—Steinkerks—“Crémonas”—“Amadis” and Jansenist
sleeves—Hair dressed “à l’effrontée”—Dresses of the Duchesse de
Bourgogne—Mignardises 125
CHAPTER XVI.
REIGN OF LOUIS XIV. (CONTINUED).
Painted faces—Reply of a Turkish ambassador—Ineffectual
criticism—Mme. Turcaret’s “pretintailles”—Mme. Bonnet’s
law-suit—Brocaded materials—“Andriennes”—“Criardes”—Return
of “hoops” and paniers—A sailor’s leap—Actresses’ paniers,
and the Greek head-dress—Mme. de Létorières—D’Hèle arrives
frozen at the Café Procope—Waterproofs—Finishing touches—Fans
and fan-makers in the seventeenth century—What Mme. de
Staël-Holstein thought of fans—Transition 143
CHAPTER XVII.
REIGN OF LOUIS XV.
The Regency—War is declared against paniers—The Oratorian
Duguet—Opinion of the “Journal de Verdun”—Various
publications against paniers—Lines by Voltaire—Whale-fishery
company—Paragraph from the “Journal de Barbier”—Mmes. Jaucourt,
De Seine, Delisle, Clairon, and Hus—Lines in praise of
corsets—New bodices—Coloured prints are forbidden—“Perses”
or “Persiennes”—Bagnolette—Adjuncts of dress: necklaces,
ridicules, and poupottes—Contents of a patch-box—A sermon
by Massillon—“Les mouches de Massillon,” or Massillon’s
patches—“Filles de Mode,” or Fashion-girls—Some passing
fashions—Powder remains in fashion—“Monte-au-ciel”—Simply made
gowns—The first cachemire 151
CHAPTER XVIII.
REIGN OF LOUIS XVI.
The influence of Marie Antoinette on fashion—Letter from
Maria Theresa—Léonard and Mdlle. Bertin—Various styles
of head-dresses—“Pouf”—The “Journal de Paris”—Reign of
Louis XVI.—Male and female hair-dressers—Plumes—Hair
worn low—The queen’s “puce”-coloured gown; shades of
colour in dresses—Oberkampf and the Jouy prints—Expensive
satins—Trimmings, their great number and importance—Gauze,
blond, tulle, and ribbons—Some kinds of shoes—Venez-y-voir—The
“Archduchess” ribbons—A dress worn at the opera 161
CHAPTER XIX.
REIGN OF LOUIS XVI. (CONTINUED).
Peasant dress is universal—Fashion “à la
Marlborough”—Caps—Bonnets—Mdlles. Fredin and Quentin—Ruches—Low
bodices; “postiches”—Costume of Contat-Suzanne—Fashions “à
la Figaro”—Literature and politics signified in dress; the
Princess de Monaco’s pouf—Pouf “à la circonstance;” the
“inoculation” pouf—The “innocence made manifest” caraco—The
“harpy” costume—Coats, cravats, and waistcoats—Sailor jackets
and “pierrots”—Déshabillés; “the lying fichu”—Etiquette in
dress—Seasonable costumes—The queen’s card-table—State of trade
in Paris, _circa_ 1787—“Pinceauteuses,” or female colourers 171
CHAPTER XX.
THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.
The year 1789—Masculine style of dress—The double dress
vanishes—Caps “à la grande prêtresse,” “à la pierrot,”
and “à la laitière”—The “pouf” bonnet—Paint and powder
disappear—Prediction by the _Cabinet des Modes_—Anonymous
caps—Cap “à la Charlotte Corday”—Trinkets “à la Bastille”—Mme.
de Genlis’ locket—Cap “à la Bastille”—Federal uniforms—Claims
to equality in dress—Reaction under the Directory—“Incroyables”
and “merveilleuses”—Coiffures “à la victime” and “à la
Titus”—Blond wigs and black wigs—The Hôtel Thélusson—_Which is
the most ridiculous?_—Mme. Tallien’s costume—Epigram on bonnets
“à la folle”—Reticules—Transparent dresses—Lines by Despréaux 179
CHAPTER XXI.
REIGN OF NAPOLEON I.
Fashions under the Empire—Sacks—“Personnes cossues”—A saying of
Napoleon’s—White gowns—Valenciennes lace—Ball dresses; walking
dresses—Polish “toquets” and bonnets—Turbans—Muslins—Artificial
flowers—Wenzel’s manufactory; “The Offspring of Imposture,”
Campenon’s verses—Parisian ladies, as sketched by Horace
Vernet—Stays—Cashmeres—Protest by Piis—Ternaux assists
in establishing the manufacture of cashmere shawls in
France—Cotton stuffs—Richard Lenoir; importance of the Rouen
manufacture—Violets during the Hundred Days—The “eighteen
folds,” and white silk 191
CHAPTER XXII.
REIGNS OF LOUIS XVIII. AND CHARLES X.
Importation of foreign fashions in 1815—White dresses,
white feathers, and fleurs de lys—Emigrant ladies—Russian
toques—Male and female dressmakers—Ruchings—Short sleeves
and long gloves—Herbault’s bonnets—“Chefs”—Anglomania in
1815—Green gauze veils; spencers—The “canezou”—Lacroix, the
stay-maker—Dr. Pelletan and Charles X.—Wasps—The “Ourika”
fashions—The famous leg-of-mutton sleeves—Fashions “à
l’Ipsiboé,” “au Trocadéro,” and “à la Dame Blanche”—Blonde caps
and turbans—Head-dresses—Fashions “à la giraffe;” “the last
sigh of Jocko”—Female book-keepers; shopwomen—The Café des
Mille-Colonnes 197
CHAPTER XXIII.
REIGN OF LOUIS PHILIPPE.
The Revolution of July, 1830—Fashions in Louis
Philippe’s reign—Microscopical bonnets, called “bibis,”
“cabriolets”—Variety of caps—Fashions of the Middle Ages and
of the Renaissance—The stage—Historic costumes—Influence of
Rachel, the actress—Greek and Roman fashions—Colours—Various
designations of materials—Bedouin sleeves—Bonnets and
head-dresses—Pamela bonnets—Novel eccentricities—Taglioni
gowns, gathered “à la Vierge,” laced “à la Niobé,” &c.—The
“Sylvestrine”—Costumes to be worn on occasions of attempts on
the king’s life—Bouquets for balls 205
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE SECOND REPUBLIC.
Tricoloured stuffs of 1848—Girondin mantles—Open gowns—Summer
dresses—Kasawecks and their derivatives—Beaver bonnets; velvet
bonnets, and satin or crape drawn bonnets—Cloches, Cornelia,
Moldavian, and Josephine cloaks; mantles—Isly green—Opera
cloaks—Numerous styles of dressing the hair: à la Marie
Stuart, à la Valois, Léda, Proserpine, and Ceres—Marquise
parasols—Jewellery—Straw bonnets—“Orleans” and “armure”—Work
reticule or bag—“Chinés”—Pagoda sleeves—Waistcoats; basque
bodices—New and economical canezous 213
CHAPTER XXV.
REIGN OF NAPOLEON III.
Ready-made mantles—Talmas, mousquetaires, and rotondes—The
Second Empire; reminiscences of the reign of Napoleon
I.—Marriage of Napoleon III.; dress of the new Empress; her
hair dressed by Félix Escalier; court mantle and train—Four
kinds of dress—Opera dress in 1853-4—Bodices “à la Vierge,”
Pompadour bodices, and Watteau bodices—Skirt trimmings—A
new colour, “Théba”—Light tints—Social and theatrical
celebrities—The Eugénie head-dress and Mainnier bands—End of
the first period of Imperial fashions 221
CHAPTER XXVI.
REIGN OF NAPOLEON III. (CONTINUED).
Crinoline inaugurates the second era of Imperial fashions—The
reign of crinoline—Starched petticoats—Whaleboned
petticoats—Steel hoops—Two camps are formed, one in favour
of, and one inimical to crinoline—Large collars—Marie
Antoinette fichus and mantles—Exhibition of 1855—Cashmere
shawls—Pure cashmeres—Indian cashmere shawls—Indian woollen
shawls—“Mouzaia” shawls—Algerian burnouses—Pompadour
parasols—Straight parasols—School for fans—The fan drill—The
Queen of Oude’s fans—The Charlotte Corday fichu 227
CHAPTER XXVII.
REIGN OF NAPOLEON III. (CONTINUED).
Sea-bathing and watering-places—Special
costumes—Travelling-bags—Hoods and woollen shawls—Convenient
style of dress—Kid and satin boots; high heels—Introduction
of the “several” and the “Ristori”—Expensive
pocket-handkerchiefs—Waists are worn shorter—Zouave, Turkish,
and Greek jackets—Bonnet-fronts—Gold trimmings universally
used—Tarlatane, tulle, and lace 233
CHAPTER XXVIII.
REIGN OF NAPOLEON III. (CONTINUED).
Fashions in 1860 and 1861—Jewellery—Shape of “Russian”
bonnets—Nomenclature of girdles—Different styles of dressing
the hair—The “Ceres” wreath—Flowers and leaves for the
hair—Prohibition of green materials—Anecdotes from the
_Union Médicale_ and the _Journal de la Nièvre_—Cloth and
silk mantles—Braid and astrakan—Four types of bonnet—Morning
bonnets—Artificial flowers 237
CHAPTER XXIX.
REIGN OF NAPOLEON III. (CONTINUED).
Sunshades, en-tout-cas, _métis_, in 1862—Sailors’ jackets,
jerseys, and pilot-jackets—Princess or demi-princess gowns;
Swiss bodices; corset or postillion belts—Lydia and Lalla
Rookh jackets; Vespertina opera cloaks—“Longchamps is no
more”—Bois de Boulogne—Russian or Garibaldi bodices—Paletot
vest—Empress belt—1885 patents for inventions regarding
dress are taken out in 1864—Victoria skeleton skirts; Indian
stays; train-supporters—“Titian”-coloured hair—The Peplum in
1866—Épicycloïde steels; aquarium earrings—Description of a
court ball-dress—The fashions of Louis XV., Louis XVI., and the
Empire are revived—Sedan chairs—Handkerchiefs at all prices 241
CHAPTER XXX.
REIGN OF NAPOLEON III. (END).
Five different styles of dressing the hair in 1868 and
1869—“Petit catogan;” three triple bandeaus—The hair is
worn loose—Dress of the Duchess de Mouchy—Refinements of
fashion—Various journals—New shades—Crinoline is attacked; it
resists; it succumbs—Chinese fashions 247
CHAPTER XXXI.
THE THIRD REPUBLIC.
The years 1870 and 1871—The siege of Paris—General
mourning—Simplicity and economy—Parisian velvet and
pekin—A concert costume—A cloth costume—Alsatian bows and
costumes—Soirées at the Presidency—Marie Stuart and Michael
Angelo bonnets—“Hunting stockings”—Rabagas hats—The years
1872 and 1873—Fan parasols—“Leopold Robert” bonnets—The
year 1873—Return of luxury—“Regent” belts and “sovereign”
dress-improvers—Silks—“Moderate” costumes—The burning of
the Opera House—Sale on behalf of those made orphans by the
war—The ball for the Lyons weavers—Cashmere tunics—Dislike
to gloves—Petticoats—Charles IX. shoes—Slippers—The
year 1874—“Page” bonnets and “Margot” hats—Hair in the
Swiss style; false hair—The ball given by the Chamber of
Commerce—Green—Jet—Various costumes—Hair-dressing—“Mercury”
bonnets 251
CHAPTER XXXII.
FASHIONS OF THE PRESENT DAY.
Dinner, casino, and ball dresses in
1875—Importation of false hair—Manufacture in
France—Modification of waterproofs—“Estelle”
bonnets—Tunic aprons—Cuirass bodices—“Montespan”
sleeves—“Saut-du-lit”—Shoes of past times—“Bonnes-femmes”
pockets—Henri III. plumes—“Inez” veils—Ribbons and
flowers—Heavy style of dress—“Pouf” petticoats—Composite
fashions of 1876—Armenian toques—“Ophelia” bonnets; “Danichef”
bonnets—Mdlle. Bettina Rothschild’s wedding trousseau—A
splendid parasol—Gondolier hair-nets—“Baby” sashes and
“Baby” bonnets—“Fontanges” fichus—“Platitudes”—Red, as a
colour—Pockets of various kinds—Majestic appendages—Princess
dresses—Bouquets on the bodices—Hair dressed in the
Greek style—A thousand curls—Breton style—Organ-pipe
frills—Coat-bodices—Trinkets in black and silver 263
CHAPTER XXXIII.
FASHIONS OF THE PRESENT DAY (CONTINUED).
The International Exhibition of 1878—Foreign countries—Japanese
fans—The little lace-makers of Peniche—Retrospective exhibition
of costume in France—“Considérations sur le vêtement des
femmes”, by M. Charles Blanc—Historical Exhibition at
the Trocadéro—Comprehensive glance at the curiosities of
that exhibition—“The Movement” in 1879—“Merveilleuse,”
“Niniche,” and other bonnets—Plush—Gown-stuff at a
hundred francs the yard—Scarfs, casaques, and various
bodices—Madras costumes—Under-clothing; chemise-corsets,
morning-gowns—“Housewife” fans; fan-holders—Trinkets—New
materials—Visites; jackets; bows; neckties—The year
1880—“Cabriolet” bonnets; “passe-montagnes”—The pilgrim
costume—Satins—Favourite colours—Vests—Art buttons—Bulgarian
costumes—Jerseys—Scented gloves—Flowers in profusion; a bridal
bouquet—Midshipman bonnets—Nordenskiold—Dust-cloaks—Revolution
in bonnets—Art and fashion—“Porte-veines” 277
CHAPTER XXXIV.
CONCLUSION 289
[Illustration]
THE HISTORY OF FASHION IN FRANCE.
INTRODUCTION.
Various definitions of fashion—The grave side of its
history—Quotations from the poets—Character of Frenchwomen—The
refinement of their tastes and fancies—Paris the temple of
fashion—The provinces—Mdlle. Mars’ yellow gown—The causes
of fashion—A saying of Mme. de Girardin’s—A remark of Mrs.
Trollope’s—The dress of actresses—Earliest theories of
fashion—The Gynæceum of Amman—First appearance of the “Journal
des Dames et des Modes”—Lamésangère—Other publications—An
anecdote concerning dolls—Plan of the History of Fashion in
France.
Fashion is the expositor, from the standpoint of costume, of our habits
and our social relations; in a word, of everything appertaining to the
charm of life.
Therefore to write the history of female fashion in France is a more
serious task than it might seem to be at the first glance. The levity
of the subject is mastered by its moral interest. Montesquieu remarks,
in his “Lettres Persanes,” “A certain lady takes it into her head that
she must appear at an assembly in a particular costume; from that moment
fifty artisans have to go without sleep, or leisure either to eat or
drink. She commands, and is obeyed more promptly than a Shah of Persia,
because self-interest is the mightiest ruler upon the earth.”
Far from serving only as a source of frivolous talk, even when it is
specially concerned with our dress and ornamentation, the subject
of fashion, it has been wisely observed, has its value as a moral
sign-post, and supplies the historian, the philosopher, and the novelist
with a guide to the prevailing ideas of the time.
Fashion, in fact, acts as a sort of thermometer of the infinitely various
tastes of the day, which are influenced by many external circumstances.
It is the continuous development of clothing in its thousand varying
forms, in its most striking improvements, in its most graceful or most
whimsical fancies. The type of dress scarcely changes within the limits
of a century; but its adjuncts and characteristics vary frequently every
year.
To the proverb, “Tell me your friends, and I will tell you who you are,”
might we not add, after serious reflection, “Tell me how such a person
dresses, and I will tell you her character”?
Numerous poets have defined Fashion, and for the most part petulantly and
disdainfully. One of them says,—
“La mode est un tyran, des mortels respecté,
Digne enfant du dégoût et de la nouveauté.”[1]
Another adds,—
“Les modes sont certains usages
Suivis des fous, et quelquefois des sages,
Que le caprice invente et qu’approuve l’amour.”[2]
A third remarks with truth, and less severity,—
“Le sage n’est jamais le premier à les suivre,
Ni le dernier à les quitter.”[3]
And La Bruyère asserts that “it shows as much weakness to fly from
Fashion as to follow it closely.” We must not limit the causes of Fashion
to three only,—love of change, the influence of those with whom we live
and the desire of pleasing them, and the interests of traders in the
transient reign of objects of luxury, so that their place may be supplied
with fresh novelties. There remains to be pointed out a fourth and
nobler cause; it is the frequently though not always successful desire
to improve the art of dress, to increase its charm, and to advance its
progress.
We do not undertake to relate the history of fashion in male attire,
albeit its variations and singularities are by no means less numerous and
remarkable than those of the history of fashion for women, which in every
age has proved itself both powerful and tyrannical.
We must restrict ourselves to the garments worn by women in each
succeeding age, and indeed we must confine ourselves to France alone, if
we would achieve as complete a picture as possible of the transformations
in female dress from the time of the Gauls to the day on which we shall
have accomplished our task.
Grace, vivacity, and, we must add, caprice, are the distinguishing
characteristics of Frenchwomen. With some very few exceptions we
shall find the qualities or the failings of our charming countrywomen
reproduced in their mode of dress. Be she a peasant or a dweller in
cities, a working woman or a duchess, every Frenchwoman in town or
country reveals herself frankly by the clothes she wears. Her innate
desire to please makes her especially object to wear garments of any one
particular fashion for long. She is ingenious in devising countless novel
accessories to her dress, and adding to its effect. She adorns herself
with embroidery, with lace, and with jewels, and, if need be, with
flowers, that she may be irresistibly attractive.
A Frenchwoman endeavours to supplement those gifts bestowed upon her
by nature by the refinements of the toilet. She maintains that fashion
is never ridiculous, because good sense is never wanting in France to
curb extravagance, and good taste will ever preserve the harmonious
proportions that are an inherent necessity in dress.
It has been said by a woman of tact and observation, “It is perhaps
allowable to be sentimental in a sky-blue bonnet, but one must not cry in
a pink one.”
This remark as to the fitness of dress shows that Frenchwomen are
properly attentive to the harmony that should exist between the moral
state of a person and the garments suitable for her wear. Mme. Emile de
Girardin observes acutely, “There is but one way of wearing a beautiful
gown, and that is to forget it.”
“Go where you will,” wrote (in 1835) the travelled Englishwoman Mrs.
Trollope, “and you see French fashions, but only in Paris do you see
how they should be worn.... The dome of the Invalides, the towers of
Notre-Dame, the column of the Place Vendôme, the windmills of Montmartre
belong to Paris less essentially and less exclusively than the style of a
bonnet, a cap, a shawl, a curl, or a glove ... when worn by a Parisian in
the city of Paris.”
It is therefore perfectly true to say that a history of fashion in
women’s dress in France has a singular likeness to a history of the
French female character. There exists not a woman, according to Mme. de
Genlis, who does not possess at least one secret in the art of dress, and
that secret she is sure to keep to herself.
In France, the classic land of fancy, the empire of Fashion has assuredly
been more deeply felt than elsewhere. From time immemorial Frenchwomen
have altered their fashions each succeeding day. An eminently French poet
was thinking of his countrywomen when he composed the following lines,
which sum up all that has been said on our present interesting subject:—
“Il est une déesse inconstante, incommode,
Bizarre dans ses goûts, folle en ses ornements,
Qui paraît, fuit, revient, renaît en tous les temps;
Protée était son père et son nom est la Mode.”[4]
Now, Proteus the sea-god, in order to escape from questioning upon the
future, changed his shape at pleasure.
It might be said that the poet we have just quoted was referring to
Parisian ladies in particular; but this would be a mistake; for a great
number of elegant women reside in the provinces, and have quite as
fervent a devotion to the inconstant goddess as their Parisian sisters.
In former times Fashion reserved its great effects and its utmost
brilliancy for the rich only; in the present day it pervades every rank
of society, and exercises its influence even over the national costume of
the peasant; for a cotton gown will now be cut on the same pattern as a
velvet one.
All Frenchwomen like perpetual change in dress, and foreigners follow
French fashions almost implicitly. Spanish women only, actuated by their
national pride, refused for a long time to make any change in their
costume, yet even they are now beginning to dress “à la Française.”
At present the type of feminine dress always originates in Paris, and
spreads thence, throughout France, into the most distant regions of
Europe, and even into Asia and America. In both those countries our
fashion-books are widely circulated. “Paris,” writes a contemporary
author, “possesses the undisputed privilege of promulgating sumptuary
laws for nations. The fashions of Paris are and will be the fashions of
the world; that of which Paris approves will endure; that which Paris
condemns must disappear. But for the good taste and the fickleness of
Parisians, but for the inventive genius and manual dexterity of their
artisans, mankind might be clothed indeed, but never dressed.”
And what of womankind? Where is the Frenchwoman, the Englishwoman, the
Italian, the German, or the Russian, who does not require her milliner to
make her a bonnet on the pattern of those which emanate from a Parisian
‘atelier’? “France,” as Victor Hugo has said, “will always be in fashion
in Europe.” Those nations who are least in sympathy with her accept and
observe her laws on elegance and ‘ton.’
This can be proved by figures. The exportation of articles of fashion
manufactured in France reaches a very high figure; our importations of
foreign goods of the same kind are, on the contrary, quite insignificant.
The word “fashion” seems to convey to young people an almost absolute
sense of novelty. Yet are there distinctions. There is new and new, just
as, according to Molière, there are “fagots” and “fagots.” That which
is new to-day may be but a revival of what is old, a reminiscence of
the past. The axiom, “There is nothing new under the sun,” applies with
special force to Fashion.
What! nothing new? No, absolutely nothing. Who knows whether the pretty
trifles, the “mouches” worn by women at the present day, are not a
reproduction or at any rate an imitation of similar adornments once worn
by the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, or the Gauls?
The ruffs which are so generally worn at present were in fashion in the
time of Henri III. They were then an adjunct to masculine dress; they
hold their place now in a lady’s wardrobe.
As we study the history of the variations of Fashion in France alone,
we perceive that feminine fancy describes an endless circle; that a
particular garment is readily cast aside just in proportion as it has
been eagerly adopted; that supreme, unjust, and unreasonable contempt
succeeds to irresistible attraction.
Fashion changes her idols at times with such rapidity, that one might
exclaim with reference to female dress,—
“Je n’ai fait que passer, il n’était déjà plus!”
It frequently happens that the general public will adopt any costume,
however eccentric, which has been worn by a celebrated person. That which
seemed hideous before the whim of a celebrity induced her to appear in
it, becomes the height of fashion immediately afterwards.
We may quote as an instance of this an anecdote that appears in the
“Indiscrétions et Confidences” of Audebert, a work published a few years
ago.
Mdlle. Mars was giving some performances at Lyons, and was not a little
astonished, on the day after her first appearance, to receive a morning
visit from one of the principal manufacturers in that city.
“Mademoiselle,” said he, “I hope you will pardon the motive of my visit;
you can make my fortune.”
“I, monsieur? I should be delighted, but pray tell me how?”
“By accepting this piece of velvet.”
So saying, he spread out on the table several yards of yellow terry
velvet. Mdlle. Mars began to think she was being “interviewed” by a
madman.
“Mon Dieu!” she exclaimed in an agitated voice, “what do you wish me to
do with that velvet?”
“To have a gown made of it, mademoiselle. When once you have been seen
in it, everybody will wear it, and my fortune will be made.”
“But nobody has ever worn a yellow gown.”
“Exactly so; the point is to set the fashion. Do not refuse me, I implore
you.”
“No, monsieur, I will not refuse you,” replied Mdlle. Mars. And she moved
towards a writing-table on which lay her purse.
“Mademoiselle will not affront me by offering payment. All I ask is that
mademoiselle will have the goodness to give the address of my factory,
which I may say stands high in reputation.”
Mdlle. Mars promised, and was delighted to be rid of her visitor. On her
return to Paris she saw her dressmaker, and in the course of conversation
said, “By-the-bye, I must show you a piece of terry velvet that I have
brought back from Lyons; you must tell me how it can be used.”
“It is of beautiful quality—quite superfine. But what is to be done with
it?”
“It was given to me for a gown.”
“A yellow gown! I never sent one out in my life!”
“Well, then, suppose we make the experiment.”
“Madame can venture on anything.”
A few days later, Mdlle. Mars, who had gone early to the theatre, put on
the yellow terry velvet gown. When her toilet was finished, she inspected
herself in the glass from every point of view, and exclaimed,—
“It is impossible for me to appear on the stage in such a gown!”
Vainly did the manager, vainly did her fellow-actors implore her not to
ruin the performance by refusing to appear. Mdlle. Mars was obstinate.
“She would not,” she declared, “look like a canary bird.” At length Talma
succeeded in persuading her that her dress was in perfect taste, and
eminently becoming.
Convinced by his arguments, Mdlle. Mars at length ventured, though with
some misgiving, on the stage, where she was received with a murmur of
admiration. All the ladies inspected her through their opera-glasses;
there was loud applause, and “What a charming gown!” was uttered on all
sides.
The next day all Paris was ringing with Mdlle. Mars’ yellow gown, and
the week was hardly over before a similar one was to be seen in every
drawing-room. Dressmakers were overwhelmed with work, and from that day
yellow has held its own among the colours considered as the right thing
for gowns.
A few years later Mdlle. Mars revisited Lyons; the manufacturer, whose
fortune she had made, gave a splendid fête in her honour, at his charming
country house on the banks of the Saône. He had paid for the mansion out
of the profits arising from the enormous sale of yellow terry velvet.
How often since Mdlle. Mars’ time have actresses decisively set the
fashion in dress! The Théâtre-Français, the Gymnase, and the Vaudeville
have been, as it were, exhibitions, where the feminine world has taken
lessons in dress. Who does not recollect Sardou’s comedy, “La Famille
Benoîton,” in which for several years there was a continuous show of
eccentric costumes?
It must be admitted that actresses, who charm by their genius, their
gestures, and their diction, confer on costume all the expression of
which it is capable, and lend a significance all their own to the
achievements of the mantua-maker.
Is it enough to be brilliantly attired? to be remarkable for
eccentricities in dress? to display costumes of the most fantastic kinds?
Certainly not. Besides these things the wearer must know how to make the
very most of her attire. Fashion and coquetry are twins. It matters not
how far we may look back into antiquity, among the Egyptians, the nations
of the East, the Greeks, the Romans, or the inhabitants of Gaul, we shall
always find these two sisters linked together, giving each other mutual
help, and adapting themselves to the climate, to the peculiarities of the
soil, and to the passions of the inhabitants.
From earliest childhood our French girls are trained in coquetry by their
own parents, innocently enough no doubt, but still such training is not
without its dangers.
“Louise,” says a mother to her little daughter, “if you are a good child
you shall wear your pretty pink frock on Sunday, or your lovely green
hat, or your blue socks,” &c. The little girl accordingly is “good,” in
order to gratify her taste for dress, and her budding love of admiration:
both of these qualities will develope as her years increase.
“Cast a glance on the graceful perfection, on the inimitably attractive
charm which distinguishes the dress of a Frenchwoman from that of all
other women on earth,” says a contemporary writer, “and you will soon see
a difference between mademoiselle and madame; the very sound of their
voices is not the same. The heart and the mental faculties of a young
girl seem to be wrapped in slumber, or at any rate dozing, until the day
comes when they are to be roused by the marriage ceremony. So long as
only mademoiselle is speaking, there is in the tone, or rather in the key
of her voice, something limp, monotonous, and insipid; but let madame
address you, and you will be fascinated by the charm with which rhythm,
cadence, and accentuation can invest a woman’s voice.”
As we have said, Paris and the whole of France have for a very long
time inaugurated the fashions which every other nation has adopted.
Yet the first journal especially devoted to fashion was not published
in France. One Josse Amman, a painter, who was born at Zurich, and
who died at Nuremberg, brought out, in 1586, a charming series of
plates on the fashions of his day, under the title of “Gynæceum, sive
Theatrum Mulierum,” &c. (“The Gynæceum or Theatre of Women, in which
are reproduced by engraving the female costumes of all the nations of
Europe”). This work was published at Frankfort, and although it cannot
be duly appreciated by women, because it is written in Latin, it must be
regarded as the origin of all the Journals of Fashion which have since
grown and multiplied.
Under the title, “Les Modes de la Cour de France, depuis l’an 1675
jusqu’à l’année 1689,” two folio volumes of coloured fashion-plates were
published in Paris; but they principally related to special costumes
for the courtiers of Louis XIV.; the “city” was treated with contempt,
and admiration was reserved for fine “court-dresses.” There was no
periodical paper in France, relating to novelties in female dress,
before the time of the Directory, in the closing years of the eighteenth
century. Until then there had been no development of theories on this
interesting subject. Our neighbours imitated our dress, after having
visited our salons or our promenades, or they consulted some desultory
drawings of costume.
In June 1797, Selléque, in partnership with Mme. Clément, _née_ Hémery,
founded the “Journal des Dames et des Modes.” They were joined, in the
matter of engraving only, by an ecclesiastic named Pierre Lamésangère, a
sober and grave personage, who a few years before had been Professor of
Literature and Philosophy at the College of La Flèche, and who by reason
of the evil times was embarking on a career very far opposed to that of
the Professor’s chair. On the death of Selléque, Lamésangère carried on
the journal, and made it his chief business from the year 1799.
The “Journal des Dames et des Modes” was published at intervals of five
days, with a pretty coloured plate of a lady in fashionable dress. On
the 15th of each month there were two plates. Lamésangère himself kept
the accounts, edited the magazine with as light a touch as possible, and
superintended the engraving of the plates. He attended the theatres and
all places of public resort in order to observe the ladies’ dresses.
So successful was the undertaking that Lamésangère acquired a
considerable fortune. His own attire was above criticism. At his death
his wardrobe contained a thousand pairs of silk stockings, two thousand
pairs of shoes, six dozen blue coats, one hundred round hats, forty
umbrellas, and ninety snuffboxes.
Truly a well-provided wardrobe! and greatly exceeding that of a wealthy
person at the present day.
The “Journal des Dames et des Modes” reigned without a rival for more
than twenty years, viz. from 1797 to 1829. It forms an amusing collection
of three-and-thirty volumes, and may be consulted with profit both by
philosophers and fine ladies.
Some of his contemporaries used to compare Lamésangère to Alexander. His
empire over the world of fashion was as wide as that of Alexander. At his
death his kingdom was divided, even as the possessions of the King of
Macedonia were. “Le Petit Courrier des Dames,” “Le Follet,” “La Psyché,”
and a hundred other fashion-books appeared: among them we must name “La
Mode,” a journal published under the patronage of the Duchess de Berri,
sumptuously printed, and which became a sort of arbiter of fashion in
“high life.”
At the present day there are innumerable guide-books to Fashion.
Women are at no loss for description, history, practical details, or
information concerning the business of their toilet. Intelligent minds
are daily at work to invent or to perfect the numberless trifles that are
either aids or snares to beauty.
In addition to books, albums, and newspapers, Fashion also makes use of
dolls for its propaganda. Dolls serve as models to the women of foreign
nations, and for a length of time they have played their part in this
important matter. In 1391, Isabeau de Bavière, the Queen of Charles VI.,
made a present of dolls dressed in the latest fashion to the Queen of
England; and the books of the Royal Household mention a similar gift from
Anne of Brittany to the celebrated Isabella of Castile, Queen of Spain,
in 1496.
In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries these gifts of dolls became
very frequent. They were so highly valued, that during the terrible war
of the Succession in Spain between the English and French, the Cabinets
of Versailles and of St. James’s granted a free pass for an alabaster
doll, which, with dress and hair arranged in the newest fashion of the
Court of France, conveyed our latest novelties across the Channel.
Like Dandin, the judge in “Les Plaideurs,” who begs Intimé the lawyer to
“pass on to the deluge” so as to escape his lecture on the creation of
the world, our fair readers must hope that we are not about to begin our
history with the origin of our country.
But while we restrict ourselves within proper limits, it is not possible
to avoid speaking of the dress of the most remote ancestresses who are
known to us, of the women of Gaul and Roman-Gaul.
We must, for a short space, return to those far-off ages, because certain
attributes of dress which existed of old have reappeared at different
times, and at the very date at which we write, more than one Gallic or
Gallo-Roman fashion may be recognized in the garments or the head-dresses
of our countrywomen.
We therefore ask permission to dwell for a short time on the earlier
centuries of our history. Then the Merovingian period will supply us
with curious documents. The Carlovingians and the early branches of the
family of Capet will claim a larger share of our attention. Finally we
shall dwell on the Middle Ages, and the period of the Renaissance, which
were remarkable for luxury, love of wealth, and splendour of Art, and so
we shall pass on to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, over which
Fashion reigned an absolute monarch.
The Revolution of 1789, the Empire, the Restoration, the Monarchy of
July, the Second Empire—in a word, Contemporary History as it is called,
will bring us to 1881, and the fashions of which our fair readers can
judge for themselves: we have no intention of taking a place among
archæologists, or arraying a multitude of historical notes before them.
Moreover documents are few, and even if we wished to relate our story
in full, it would not be possible, since we are bound to observe the
limits of historical truth. We may, indeed, endeavour to present it in a
pleasant light, but we must not change its natural expression.
CHAPTER I.
THE GALLIC AND GALLO-ROMAN PERIOD.
Gallic period—Woad, or the pastel—Tunics and boulgètes—“Mavors”
and “Palla”—Cleanliness of the Gallic women—The froth
of beer or “kourou”—The women of Marseilles; their
marriage-portions—Gallo-Roman period—The Roman garment—The
“stola”—Refinement of elegance—Extravagant luxury of
women—Artificial aids—A “vestiaire” or wardrobe-room of the
period—Shoes—Jewels and ornaments—The amber and crystal
ball—Influence of the barbarians.
We learn with horror from ancient writers that certain women of Gaul were
accustomed to dye their skin with a whitish matter, procured from the
leaves of the woad or pastel, a cruciform plant from which is derived
a starchy substance, that may be substituted for indigo for certain
purposes. Others were tattooed in almost the same manner as the savages
of America.
Such were our mothers in primitive Gaul, a country which differed little
in extent from modern France.
But time did its work, and a little later, when the inhabitants began
to practise industrial arts, the costume of a Gallic woman consisted of
a wide plaited tunic and of an apron fastened round the hips. She would
sometimes wear as many as four tunics, one over the other, a mantle,
part of which veiled her face, and a “mitre” or Phrygian cap. She made
use also of pockets or of leathern bags, and of “bouls” or “boulgètes,”
made of network, which are still in use in Languedoc, and are called
“reticules.”
Rich women remarkable for their beauty and elegance adorned themselves
with many-coloured linen mantles, fastening with a clasp on the shoulder;
or else they were entirely unclothed to the waist, and draped themselves
in a large mantle, which floated over their skirts, and was kept in its
place by a clasp or fibula of gold or silver, greatly resembling the
modern brooch.
A veil covered the head and bosom; when short, it was called a ‘mavors;’
when long, falling for instance to the feet, it bore the name of ‘palla.’
The cleanliness of the Gallic women, which has been praised by
historians, added another charm to their unrivalled natural beauty. No
Gallic woman, whatever her rank, would have consented or even ventured
to wear dirty, untidy, or torn garments; nor did any one of them fail
to frequent the baths which were established everywhere, even in the
very poorest localities. The Gallo-Roman woman was admired for her fair
complexion, her tall and elegant figure, and her beautiful features; and
she neglected nothing that might tend to procure her that homage. Cold
bathing, unguents for the face and often for the entire body were to her
a delight, a duty, and a necessity. In order to preserve the freshness
of her complexion, she bathed her face in the froth of beer or _kourou_,
dyed her eyebrows with tallow, or with a juice taken from the sea-pike,
a fish found on the coast of Gaul. She made frequent use at her toilet
of chalk dissolved in vinegar, a mixture injurious to health, but very
efficacious as a pommade; she coloured her cheeks with vermilion, put
lime on her hair, which she covered with a net, or plaited it into narrow
bands, either throwing it back or giving it the curve of a helmet.
Her luxury was not limited to ornaments only, to necklaces, bracelets,
rings, or waist-bands of metal; she borrowed her charms from Nature too,
and, as we have seen, had little reason to complain. Bracelets, which
still held their place under the Merovingians, do not seem to have been
worn in the Middle Ages.
In the south, on the shores of the Mediterranean, the women were
strikingly beautiful. They wore a quantity of jewels, a short garment
reaching only to the knees, and a gorgeously bright red apron, such as is
worn by the Neapolitans to this day.
At Marseilles the civilization of the Greeks had spread among the people.
The young girls of the city were always dressed with elegance, and,
doubtless lest drink might impair the ivory white of their complexion,
custom forbade them to partake of wine; also in order to guard against
an excess of luxury, the law required that the highest marriage-portion
of a woman should not exceed one hundred golden crowns, nor her finest
ornaments five hundred crowns. And that arbitrary law seems to have been
strictly enforced.
After the conquest of Gaul by Cæsar, Roman civilization and Roman
corruption were introduced into our country.
It is difficult to resist the attractions of beautiful things, and
however great may have been the hatred of their husbands towards the
conquerors, the Gallic women, now become Gallo-Romans, were very ready,
as may easily be imagined, to follow the example of the ladies from
Italy. They declined to be beaten in the art of pleasing, as their
warriors had been vanquished on the battle-field.
The fair Gallo-Roman adopted the fashions of Rome. Extravagance in dress
became boundless, and dissimilarity of garments denoted various degrees
of wealth. The “stola,” a tunic reaching to the ground, and gathered by
a girdle round the hips, while a band adjusted it to the bosom, allowed
only the tips of the feet to be seen. It fell in numerous rich folds, and
was as characteristic of the matron as was the “toga” of a citizen of
Rome.
One lady might be satisfied with a chemise, with the wide drapery of the
tunic scolloped at the edge, a short apron and sandals; while another
would load herself with tunics, the upper one being sleeveless, sometimes
embroidered and sometimes not, confined by a band round the waist, and by
a clasp on either shoulder. A sort of mantilla veiled the entire figure.
Some few ladies chose to wear garments which on account of their great
breadth were called “palissades” by Horace, the satirical poet of the
Augustan age.
From these the first idea of those vertugadins and crinolines, which we
shall frequently be called upon to notice in the course of the present
history, appears to have been derived.
An elegant town lady would also adorn herself with a mantle that half
covered her head, and with the “pallium,” a golden tissue without either
clasps or pins, thrown across the left shoulder and round the figure.
Another would, like a Gallic woman, wear the Phrygian cap, which allowed
her beautiful hair to be seen and admired. This was fastened back with
the “vitta,” a ribbon or band which only patricians had the right to
use, crossed with narrow bands or confined in a net, and arranged with
much skill. The hair was frequently dyed red or yellow; or brown plaits
would be concealed under the fair locks taken from some German slave, and
lightly sprinkled with gold-dust.
The face of a Gallo-Roman lady was resplendent in beauty, thanks to the
refined arts of dress, and her complexion remained incomparably fair in
spite of the lapse of years. Beneath the tunic she wore the “strophium,”
a sort of corset which defined the figure, and in which she could carry
her letters. Ovid observes that to equalize the shoulders, if one were
rather higher than the other, it was sufficient to drape lightly the
lower of the two. Thus did “postiches” and padding originate.
The Gallo-Roman lady soon began to make use of the “sudarium” or
pocket-handkerchief, a piece of stuff, either plain or embroidered,
which she held in her hand to wipe the damp from her forehead, or to
use as we use our handkerchiefs. We can imagine her leaving her gilded
chariot, a sort of palanquin whose shafts were supported by a pair of
horses, mules, or oxen. This was a closed carriage lined with skins and
strewn with straw, and the noble lady lay within it, softly reposing on a
“pulvinar,” or large silken cushion scented with roses. She had adopted
the manners, if not the morals of the East. She could appreciate and
admire and amass rings of gold, silver ornaments for her dressing-table,
for the bath-room, for travelling; mirrors, earrings of incrusted glass,
rings, and necklaces. She made use of many different perfumes: scented
and hygienic pomatums, essence of lilies, roses, and myrrh, unguents made
from the cock and from pure spikenard. She delighted in waist-bands and
ribbons, in cushions, furs, and felt,—in one word, in all the luxuries
that contribute to cleanliness and elegance. She had a decided taste for
showy colours.
The wardrobe of a Gallic-Roman lady would consist of tissues of linen,
cotton, or silk, taking the place of the modern chemise; of a sort of
boneless corset to support the bosom, of a dressing-gown, of robes of
ceremony, of tunics, half tunics, and violet-coloured mantles, shaped
much like a modern pelerine. A Frenchwoman of the present day has not a
better assorted wardrobe.
On going out Gallic-Roman ladies donned a short mantle, which covered
their shoulders, and a scarf for their head, the light and transparent
veil of which their head-dress was composed sparkled with gold and silver
spangles, mingled with narrow bands, ribbons, and beads. They left their
pointed and cork-soled slippers, turned up at the toes and without heels,
at home. Similar shoes may be seen to this day in the Museum at Clermont,
in Auvergne.
Whenever an elegant patrician lady left her home to take a drive or pay
visits, she changed her shoes. Sandals took the place of the “lancia,”
or house-slippers. She sometimes wore the “cothurnus,” a walking-boot,
unrivalled, except by the light shoes called “campodes,” habitually worn
by the peasant women. Shoes were marks of distinction. For instance,
those called “peribarides” denoted that the Gallo-Roman lady, their
wearer, belonged to one of the highest families.
In Gaul, as in Rome, extravagance in jewels and ornaments defied all
the sumptuary laws, although the latter were as plentiful as they were
useless. Gallo-Romans would not be denied their gold and silver ornaments.
Cameos and engraved stones, emeralds, amethysts, sapphires, and the
finest pearls give immense value to the necklaces, rings, bracelets,
large circular earrings, and even garters, of that remote period.
Garters, we beg to point out, were not used to keep up stockings, which
were not worn in those times, but served to confine a sort of trouser of
fine linen. Some of the Gallo-Roman ladies wore these garters or anklets
on the bare leg, as they wore bracelets on the arm.
Parasols, steel mirrors, fans—all these things were known to the
Gallo-Roman period. Perfumers were constantly making fresh discoveries,
and there were dentists who manufactured marvellous false teeth, so as
“to repair the irreparable injuries of Time.” Any defects in the face
were remedied by drugs of all kinds. The eyelids were stained in order to
give brilliancy to the eyes.
At least twenty women were in the service of each patrician lady, and the
latter always devoted much time and thought to her dress. These women
attired her with exceeding care; they were admirable hair-dressers, and
used pomatum profusely. One was the proud bearer of a parasol. A Roman
fashion, borrowed from the Egyptians, prescribed that slaves should
carry in silver or golden nets the amber and crystal balls used by their
mistresses.
With what grace and skill did these noble ladies twist and press the
crystal balls in their fingers at a public fête, or at the circus or
theatre! They subdued by this means the excessive warmth of their hands,
and secured a constant coolness. When the crystal ball became heated,
it was succeeded by one of amber, which as it warmed gave forth a most
delightful odour.
In like manner the fan offered opportunities for the Gallo-Roman ladies
to display all their grace and skill, and the fan has retained its place
down to our own time, while it has found an historian in M. Blondel, who
has published a very curious monograph on fans among ancient and modern
peoples.
The Gauls of both sexes had a patriotic love of their national costume,
which they would not discard even when travelling in Asia. Nevertheless,
they did not refuse to learn from their Roman conquerors, whose
advanced civilization took gradual hold of our ancestors, and ended by
metamorphosing them.
Did they borrow something from the costumes of the Vandals, Huns, Goths,
and Burgundians, from the various barbarians who appeared in succession
on the soil of Gaul? We may believe that they did, for the women who
accompanied those wild invaders must have left everywhere behind them
some trace of their passage. As they sat making their garments in their
tents, they must have inspired the Gallo-Roman women with a wish to
imitate this or that accessory of the toilet, so soon as the terror
caused by the presence of the soldiery had passed away. And though some
of these strangers wore only the skins of beasts, others were accustomed
to “the purple,” and to tissues from the East; some few combined Greek
elegance with Latin wealth, and were covered with valuable ornaments.
The Visigoths mingled with the peoples of Southern Gaul, and the women
were sufficiently civilized to be not unpleasing to the vanquished.
At Toulouse, where the Gothic kings had fixed their abode, a large and
splendid court, which was destined to exercise an undisputed sway during
many centuries, had risen round them.
The Burgundians, who had established themselves between the banks of
the Lake of Geneva and the confluence of the Moselle and the Rhine,
looked upon the Gallo-Romans not as subjects, but as brethren; nor did
their laws forbid marriage between themselves and the inhabitants of
a conquered country. They evidently followed more or less slowly the
progress of civilization in Gaul, and their manners and customs and even
their dress influenced and were influenced in their turn by those of the
inhabitants of the occupied country.
It may be that no history of the art of Dress will ever be verified by
the documents necessary for the accurate reconstruction of the details of
female costume from the first invasion of the barbarians until the last,
that of the Franks, of which we are now about to note the most striking
effects.
Such lapses are to be regretted, but they could not be filled up without
venturing on unfounded hypotheses or unsupported fancy. It is better to
restrict ourselves to the exact truth than to change the pen of history
for that of romance.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: GALLIC
GALLO-ROMAN
MEROVINGIAN
CARLOVINGIAN]