FRENCH FASHIONS.* "Qua lea bommes et loin femelles sent de
plaisans animaux " is one's first impression on looking through the quaint pictures of this curious and interesting book. Fashion certainly does her best, and meets with complete success in her attempts at
• Fashion in Paris. By Octave treanne. Translated from the French by lady Mary Loyd. London ; W. Heinemann. [362.7 spoiling the human form. The book opens with the mad reign of license under the Directory, when, having got rid of the unjust oppression of the widen regime and the awful tyranny exercised by the mob in their bloody revenge, Paris gave herself up to the reckless gratification of her thirst for
pleasure and sensual enjoyment. Every rule and every tie was broken and shaken off. The ladies of the Directory could not bear the restraint of the stately costume of the former generation. They led the way back to natural freedom, as they thought, by adopting the draperies of ancient Greece and Rome. Somehow they do not suit our Northern climate, and the women in these sketches have no resemblance to the antique, although they did their best by wearing only one garment under their transparent robes :—
" Who is this woman," writes M. 17zanne, "who advances heralded by plaudits ? Is she naked ? I hardly know. Behold her thin pantaloons, like Monseigneur the Comte d'Artois' famothi skin breeches ! This lady's nether garment, excessively tight though silken in texture, is adorned with a kind of bracelet. The upper dress is skilfully cut open and the full bosom is displayed under an exquisitely painted gauze. A transparent cambric chemise reveals the lower limbs clasped by golden circlets set with diamonds."
Sandals were worn on the bare feet, and, like the fine lady in the nursery rhyme, they had "rings on their toes." There were few private receptions,—all Paris poured into the streete and public places. They ate and drank enormously :—
" It was a sight to behold them when the concert was over falling on the supper, demolishing turkey and cold partridge, truffles and anchovies in mighty mouthfuls, pouring down wine and liqueurs. And indeed these half-naked nymphs were bound to provide themselves a solid framework to resist the chest attacks which lay in wait for them at every door."
Such were the " Nymphes " and the " Merveilleuses " :— "The young men of the period were their worthy partners. Listen to this short sketch from the pen of one of their female contemporaries. 'More presumptuous, even, than youth generally is ; ignorant, because for the last six or seven years education has ceased and license and debauchery have taken the place of gallantry. More quarrelsome than soldiers who have never known any life but that of camps, talking a jargon of their own invention almost as absurd as their huge cravats— dozens of yarus of muslin rolled about their necks—and to crown everything, both insolent and foppish. Out of opposition to the Royalists of the Clichy Club they have adopted.a style of dress intended to differ in every detail from that worn by the youthful aristocracy,—a very short waistcoat, a coat with broad swallowtails, trousers that would make a gown, short Russian boots, and a neckcloth in which they are fairly buried. Add to this costume a walking-cane like a tiny club, an eyeglass the size of a saucer, hair curled into ringlets falling over the eyes and hiding half the face, and you will have some conception of the "Incroyable." "
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