What is a polonaise in clothing?

“Polonaise style referred to the arrangement of the overskirt of a dress into three bunched swags to give the hips the impression of width and to display the petticoat underneath. Derived from a Polish style, the word polonaise means ‘Polish,’ and to wear a dress in this manner was referred to as à la polonaise.

What is a polonaise bodice?

The polonaise gown first came into fashion in the 1770s. It was a style of gown with a close-fitting bodice and the back of the skirt gathered up into three separate puffed sections to reveal the petticoat below. The method of suspending the fabric varied.

Who wore robe a la francaise?

Made of rich fabrics and loaded with frilly decoration, the robe à la française was worn by only the most wealthy women. It featured a tight-fitting bodice with a square neckline that revealed a great deal of a woman’s upper breasts.

When was the robe a la francaise worn?

The sack-back gown or robe à la française was a women’s fashion of the 18th century. At the beginning of the century, the sack-back gown was a very informal style of dress.

What is a robe volante?

“Saque, robe battante, robe volante, and innocente are all names for a gown that was unbelted, loose from the shoulder to the floor. Made with pleats at the back and at the shoulder in front, sacques were worn over dome shaped hoops and might either have a closed front or be worn over a corset and petticoat.” (

What is a Mantua gown?

Calasibetta in Fairchild’s Dictionary of Fashion (1998) defines a mantua as a: “woman’s overdress or gown worn over an underskirt. “developed into a draped and pleated dress and eventually evolved into a dress worn looped and draped up over a contrasting petticoat and a stomacher.

What is a chemise a la Reine?

“Chemise à la reine was a white muslin gown that resembled the chemise undergarment of the period, but, unlike the chemise, had a waistline and a soft, fully gathered skirt. This garment made of very costly muslin imported from India, was a forerunner of styles of the beginning of the 19th century.” ( 289)

What was a round gown?

Round Gown – The round gown was a fitted-back gown with the the skirt and petticoat sewn as one – it is not an open robe. Round gowns exist throughout the century but become extremely common from the 1770s through the 1790s.

What is a Watteau back?

Watteau back in British English noun. a section at the back of a woman’s dress that is caught in pleats or gathers at the neck and falls unbelted to the floor.

What is rococo fashion?

Rococo fashion was based on extravagance, elegance, refinement and decoration. Women’s fashion of the seventeenth-century was contrasted by the fashion of the eighteenth-century, which was ornate and sophisticated, the true style of Rococo.

Why is the chemise a la reine problematic?

In other words, the queen appeared to be posing in her underwear. This accusation gave the cotton gown the name by which it is now most commonly known: the “chemise à la reine,” or the “chemise of the queen.” Therefore, it was perceived as incredibly unpatriotic for the French queen to so openly wear cotton.

What is a Womens shift?

A chemise or shift is a classic smock, or a modern type of women’s undergarment or dress. Historically, a chemise was a simple garment worn next to the skin to protect clothing from sweat and body oils, the precursor to the modern shirts commonly worn in Western nations.