"After us - even a flood!"

Gallant Age (fr. Fetes galantes) - the conventional name of the period 1715-1770, which replaced the "great century" of Louis XIV. Some historians extend it to the French Revolution of 1789. Another name for this period, "Rococo" (fr. "Rocaille" - shell), a reference to the then popular ornament in the form of a shell or curl, appeared in the 19th century.

The gallant age is the age of courtesy, as they would say now, glamor, the Age of Venus and Cupid, the era of graceful ladies and sensual gentlemen.

 Both were busy with flirting, intrigue, games and masquerades - only entertainment, nothing serious. The statement of the Marquise de Pompadour: "After us - even a flood!" - reflects the state of mind of the nobility of that period.

Hence the changes that took place in the costume: an abundance of decor, bows, lace, embroidery.

Bed colors - pink, gray-blue, pale yellow, except for white, which was used in men's stockings (white is the color of nuns!)

Even wedding dresses were sewn in silver, not white. The color of the outfit was just as important as the style. If a color came into fashion, it was worn regardless of age, gender and preference. The color palette was constantly updated.

Not only exotic color combinations were invented, but even more exotic names were also invented. So in use was "the color of the thigh of a frightened nymph" - a shade of pink, "a frog in a swoon" - a light gray-green, "the last breath of a jaco" - yellow-red and others.

The most fashionable pattern is bouquets of flowers or floral ligature.

Of the jewelry, an obligatory accessory to the costume, in addition to precious stones, flowers were also used in huge quantities (sometimes up to 100 pieces per day) in portbouquets - special devices for strengthening flowers on dresses and hairstyles. Such a demand for flowers led to the emergence of craftsmen who made artificial copies of them.

FROMThe most exotic flower was considered to be a potato flower imported from America.

The fashionable silhouette of the Rococo era can be compared to an inverted glass. This was achieved with the help of a pannier, from the French "basket", a frame, which was originally woven from twigs bent into hoops and fastened together with ribbons. The resulting frame was attached to the corset, a cover was put on on top.

According to one version, fluffy dresses with pannier appeared as an element of theatrical costume, which the audience made fun of, but sometimes what they laugh at can turn out to be a squeak of fashion.

Author - Alexandra Khudyakova

In the second half of the 18th century, the silhouette becomes grotesque: it expands at the sides, resembling a Venetian gondola. At the beginning of the 18th century, there were four types of pannier: in the form of a dome, in the form of a funnel - "geridon", in the form of a roller - "burule", in the form of a gondola. Under Marie Antoinette, the size of the fizzy reached its peak. The figs grew so large on the sides that the ladies had to keep their arms bent at the elbows. The figs also created inconvenience of another plan: it was difficult to pass through the doorway, and it was also problematic to get into the carriage. Folding figs were invented in England.

Every year the width of the pannier increased, they began to be made of more durable materials - bamboo, steel hoops. Gradually switched to a whalebone, which has proven itself well for its durability

The full vestment of the aristocrat consisted of:

- a thin silk undershirt; corset, tightly lacing at the back;

- pannier;

- two skirts: the lower one, decorated with ruffles, lace was called "cotillion", and the richly decorated, middle skirt, located between the cotillion and the skirt of the upper dress made of silk or brocade, was called "fripon" - "playful". It was sewn from an expensive denser material and decorated with lace, frills and embroidery;

- corset;

- lace-up bodice with sleeves of fashionable 3/4 length sewn to it. The funnel-shaped sleeve was also richly decorated with lace, so that the wrist resembled a flower;

- on top of the bodice a stomak was fastened - a triangular insert, decorated with a row of bows, embroidery, lace, flowers, precious stones.

Francois Boucher. Ladies' toilet.

Of the various styles of women's clothing, the top rung was occupied by a dress "Grand abi" (French: Grand habit) - a court dress, approved under Louis XIV in 1670. It had a rigid bodice, a low round neckline, short sleeves with ruffles. The ends of the slit of the top skirt opened open to reveal the petticoat. Initially, it was sewn from fabrics of a dark color, following the Spanish tradition, during the Rococo period - from lighter silk.

Style "Rob a la francaise" - "French dress"as it was called in Europe, it could vary, but at the same time retained some elements until 1770: rich decor, hard stomak, and pannier, expanding the petticoat to "protect the piety of the ladies."

The second most important in the world of fashion in France was the "Mantua" style .

It was a swing dress, the prototype of which was probably a travel suit. It consisted of a frameless woolen skirt and a top, reminiscent of a men's dressing gown: it had a fastener from the throat to the waist, swinging below the waist. Long floors, fixed at the back, were draped at the waist in large folds. This type of outfit could be put on independently, without the help of a servant. An early version of the mantua can be considered "rob-al-l'anglez" - an English dress with folds on the back hemmed to the bodice.

In 1710, this type of clothing turns into a court dress. The stomak was decorated with embroidery, or bows, the skirt became detachable, the coattails evolved into a train, the sleeves were shortened to the elbow. In some cases, the stomak was sewn to the shelves, had a cut in the center and was unbuttoned like a vest. A distinctive feature of the court version of the mantua was a square neckline.

In the second half of the 18th century, the style became widespread, the names "Sak", that is, "bag"

This is a type of one-piece dress, with voluminous folds laid on the back - "Watteau folds" - going down to the very bottom like a raincoat.

At the end of the 70s "rob a la polonaise", "Polish dress", came into vogue. Distinguishing features: a plunging neckline, ankle-length skirt and a special cut of the upper skirt. Thanks to the loops sewn from the sides, the skirt could be lifted almost to the waist. At the same time, an additional volume of three lush flounces was created.

Author - Alisa Filippova

In the Rococo era, desabille appears (deshabille - undressed).

This kind of home dress was distinguished by the absence of a corset, under the skirt frame and softness of forms. Decorated with lace and embroidery, an outfit made from expensive fabrics was a ceremonial version of underwear.

In 1720, the revived "rob buttant", invented by the Marquise de Montespan in the 17th century, to hide pregnancy, became widespread. This is a kind of saka, it was also called karako, kazakin - "coat" - a robe cut by the "sun", thanks to which the figure was successfully hidden.

Author - Julia Sochilina

For the first time, specially sewn nightgowns appeared as underwear. Previously, both ladies and gentlemen used an undershirt for these purposes. Speaking of underwear, one cannot fail to mention the stockings that were worn by representatives of both sexes.

The shoes of the Gallant Age were uncomfortable and heavy due to the abundance of jewelry.

The heel on mule shoes had a curved shape, nicknamed "pigeon's foot". The foot in such a shoe seemed miniature, due to the visually reduced distance between the toe and heel. Mules did not have backdrops, they were made of silk, satin, velvet or soft leather.

By the color of the shoes it was possible to determine the social status of their owner: so red and white hinted at the highest origin.

A special category of footwear is ballroom shoes. They were made with narrow noses, closed backs, a miniature tongue decorated with diamonds was sewn on the back. In rainy weather, the shoes were protected by tying wooden galoshes to the sole, resembling slippers, which did not allow them to get bogged down in the mud.

Velvet shoes and stockings 1890s

The nobility of the early Rococo period preferred to wear white stockings, which was a hallmark of the aristocracy.

 They were most often made of silk and richly decorated with embroidery at the ankle and at the edge. In women, stockings reached the middle of the thigh, where they were fastened with garters - ribbons. Later, women preferred to wear colored stockings. It was considered particularly chic if the stockings matched the color of the dress.

Photos are taken from open Internet sources. 

Cover photo: Cleto Luzzi (Italian 1884-1952)

The material was prepared by Elena Oleinik-Kochetova.