The history of fashion in France: or, the dress of women from the Gallo-Roman period to the present time

About this book

The work is a scholarly survey of women’s dress in France from the Gallo‑Roman era to the late nineteenth century, written by Augustin Challamel. It opens with a broad “introduction” that frames fashion as a moral and social barometer, then launches into a detailed “plan” that guides the reader through more than thirty chapters. Each chapter is listed with its chronological focus, Gallic and Gallo‑Roman costumes, Merovingian skins, Carolingian veils, the impact of the Crusades, the elaborate head‑pieces of the Valois and Bourbon courts, and the ever‑changing styles of the Republic and Empire, providing a clear roadmap of the book’s exhaustive coverage.

Challamel’s voice is that of a nineteenth‑century historian, dense with citations, quotations from poets and philosophers, and occasional witty asides. The prose is formal, encyclopedic, and richly descriptive, reflecting the period’s penchant for exhaustive cataloguing. Readers who relish meticulous cultural history, costume scholars, or anyone fascinated by how clothing mirrors politics and taste will find this volume a rewarding, if demanding, reference.

Opening lines

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 …

Keep reading free · chapter 1 needs no account