Sunday Snippet – Moonstone Conspiracy and French Revolution Fashion

England and France have always had an interesting relationship.

Despite great differences they have always been cousins, from the era of the Anglo-Normans onwards, as much as they have been rivals in trade and war. Their ideas and tastes have volleyed back and forth in the world of fashion and no more was this evident but in the clothing of the 18th century.

I’ve had so much fun researching this topic for Moonstone Obsession and the upcoming sequel, Moonstone Conspiracy.

For instance in the latter part of the century the English riding coat was adopted by the French for women’s dress and then re-exported back to England as the redingote (if you actually say the word aloud, its relationship to ‘riding coat’ is immediately apparent).

From face patches to pompadours what France did first England then copied, while French modistes sought sporting inspiration from across the channel.

 By the 1770s, “Anglomania” in France and “Francophilia” in England had taken force. As part of les modes à l’anglaise, French fashion adopted styles based on English sporting wear.
Likewise, the English copied the large panniers of the robe à la Française. The change from the corseted bodices and excessively wide skirts of heavy, ostentatious brocades of Eighteenth-Century fashion to the simplistic, loose gowns of lightweight muslin — and the visual effect on the body — did not occur overnight, but rather experienced several transitions in this short amount of time.

So it’s not surprising that when France plunged into civil war, the ostentatious court gowns fell out of fashion too. Silhouettes were simplified, more ‘wholesome’ cotton instead of ‘lavish’ silk was the fabric of choice. Hairstyles changed as well and for a period of French history, platinum/white blond hair was banished as a sign of aristocratic privilege.

To describe fashion as being in a state of chaos at this period is only to put it mildly. Fashions were made, lost, remade, and lost again within the space of a few days. It is therefore difficult to follow its vicissitudes, or to assign any definite dates for any particular caprice. Take hairdressing for example. After the 9th Thermidor, we have the “coiffure à la victime,” a souvenir of prison days and the gaoler rushing after the condemned person on his way to the guillotine to snatch his head-ribbon, and selling him a curved comb to replace it.

Oh, if you were wondering where the Thermidor came into it, we’d recognise it as roughly 27th of July – I’ll be doing another feature on the French Revolutionary Calendar soon.

While cotton was deemed a more simple and therefore a more ideologically sound fabric, it certainly didn’t stop those perifious Albions – French and English epithets will be another feature too – and nouveau riche Americans to find a way to flaunt their wealth. :)

Back to feminist re-education camp for you Beau Brummel. how dare you say that this au monde young lady is a prostitute!

MUSLIN was the MOST FASHIONABLE of materials for informal and even some formal gowns. Cotton was increasingly available in America and as an import from India, and the diaphanous, flowing white of fine muslin was perfect for imitating Greek statuary. To keep your muslin dress from looking just like everyone else’s, you might choose a material with a pattern woven into it or embroidered on it. The muslin at left has a woven-in wavy pattern, the larger stripes consisting of three stripes very close together. It is easy to see how loosely-woven this fabric is; you can see the shadow of the dark background behind the unpatterned areas. Except for the most daring Frenchwomen, petticoats were a must under such gowns.

Yes and judging by this political cartoon of the time, a young lady who decided to eschew the petticoats might be mistaken for a prostitute – imagine anyone daring to draw such a thing today’s Still Not Asking For It sensibilities!

In the case of Lady Abigail Houghall, the notorious demi-rep heroine of my upcoming Regency romance-adventure, Moonstone Conspiracy, there was another reason why being a dedicated follower of fashion was useful.

Moonstone Conspiracy Excerpt

Patronising old fool!

The Admiral stood, raising his hand to catch the Colonel’s attention and, with a final polite bow to her, hurried to shepherd the man out of the room.

Abigail too rose from the table and brushed the wrinkles from her powder blue brocade dress embroidered with sprays of full bloom roses.

Her jewellery was a simple single strand of pearls and pearl studs – a gift, a very expensive gift – from a one time admirer.

Years before, as a diamond of the first water, she would have been dripping with expensive baubles, but Abigail gave thanks for the emergence of the new minimally adorned fashion which had made its way over from France.

It was useful to disguise financial embarrassment.

Much of her fine clothing and jewels had been sold to pay debts and to furnish the modest home she was forced to share with some distant relatives who were trying to launch their daughter into society.

Tonight, however, her purse weighed heavily on her arm, a promise that the tide of fortune might soon be changing.

Abigail judged it right to not press her luck any further but to mingle with the rest of the gathering and give thanks again to Viscount Edgecombe and his wife for a perfectly profitable evening.

“Leaving so soon? I was so enjoying the entertainment.”

Standing in the spot vacated by Lord Reginald was a stranger to her, a man aged in his mid-thirties by her judgment. He was tall, his body that of a sportsman. And although his hair appeared dark, the light thrown by the chandeliers picked out highlights of red-gold. He was dressed fashionably but not elaborately, his dark green frockcoat was cut to fit broad shoulders and a tapered waist. Dark grey breeches fit snugly across muscular legs.

Special guest appearance – The Kinks

As promised and, if you listen, to the lyrics there is a rather lovely tie in to another guest who makes an appearance in Moonstone Conspiracy!