Patches in the shape of stars, hearts, half moons, round, even birds were worn on the face and cut out of black taffeta, Spanish leather or gummed paper, these were useful in covering up scars or skin afflictions such as small pox, while the fan also helped to hide the face.
The patches were seen as a symbol of political allegiance – depending on which side of the face a patch was worn, Whigs on the right and Tories on the left. At the court of Louis XV, a patch worn at the corner of the eye indicated passion, the centre of the cheek was gay, the nose was saucy, a patch on the upper lip suggested kisses and the forehead was majestic. A patch worn on a dimple was playful – and a murderess wore her patches on her breast! Often people wore up to fifteen or sixteen patches at once.
The demands of 18th century fashion
Ladies (and Macaronis) had a range of cosmetics at their disposal. White lead powder mixed with egg white could be used to give a fine, pale complexion, although ladies taking the waters at Bath were warned that 'those who use white paste as a cosmetic are liable to have skins turn entirely yellow' from the vapours of the springs. Rouge was made from lead paste and carmine. Lips were tinted with coloured plaster of Paris. Eyebrows were blacked with lead or with green vitriol and gum Arabic, although artificial eyebrows of mouse-skin were also available to be glued on. Unfortunately the heat of the ballroom sometimes caused them to slip. Small patches of black taffeta or velvet were also worn on the face.
Contrary to popular opinion, people did wash carefully. Although bathrooms were rare, bathtubs were not, and water was piped into the houses of the rich. Bedrooms were furnished with washstands, and soap was plentiful, with 63 soap factories in London (Pears famous transparent soap was created in 1789).
Lord Chesterfield, who wrote copious advice by letter to his illegitimate son Philip, wrote in 1750, 'In your person you must be accurately clean, and your teeth, hands and nails should be superlatively so.' He advised the daily cleaning of teeth with a sponge and tepid water. Nonetheless, it was common to lose teeth, and ladies might wear 'plumpers' of cork inside their cheeks to avoid the sunken cheeks that this caused. No woman would admit to wearing them, however, and they were sold under the counter.
Soot was used as a dentifrice, as was lemon juice mixed with burnt alum and salt. Mouth washes were used, made of wine, bramble leaves, cinnamon, cloves, orange peel. Gum lacquer, brunt alum and honey infused in hot ashes. Decayed teeth could be drilled with a hand-drill and filled with tin, lead or gold. Dentures of ivory, bones, or wood were available, and set with teeth of ivory, porcelain, or even real human teeth. The prototype of the modern toothbrush was invented in 1780 by William Addis.
it was only after 1770 that ladies began to wear their hair high, bulking it out with pads of wool and false hair, or arranged it over a frame, adding ribbons, flowers and feathers. Contemporary cartoons show us exaggeratedly complex styles,
Powdered hair had been in fashion since 1715, and only went out of fashion in 1795 when William Pitt put a tax on it. It was initially used sparsely, but worn more thickly after about 1750. Probably it helped disguise any differences of colour between a lady's own hair and her pads of false hair. It was made of starch, sometimes tinted with colouring, and applied over hair which had been oiled to help it stick.
Contrary to popular opinion, people did wash carefully. Although bathrooms were rare, bathtubs were not, and water was piped into the houses of the rich. Bedrooms were furnished with washstands, and soap was plentiful, with 63 soap factories in London (Pears famous transparent soap was created in 1789).
Lord Chesterfield, who wrote copious advice by letter to his illegitimate son Philip, wrote in 1750, 'In your person you must be accurately clean, and your teeth, hands and nails should be superlatively so.' He advised the daily cleaning of teeth with a sponge and tepid water. Nonetheless, it was common to lose teeth, and ladies might wear 'plumpers' of cork inside their cheeks to avoid the sunken cheeks that this caused. No woman would admit to wearing them, however, and they were sold under the counter.
Soot was used as a dentifrice, as was lemon juice mixed with burnt alum and salt. Mouth washes were used, made of wine, bramble leaves, cinnamon, cloves, orange peel. Gum lacquer, brunt alum and honey infused in hot ashes. Decayed teeth could be drilled with a hand-drill and filled with tin, lead or gold. Dentures of ivory, bones, or wood were available, and set with teeth of ivory, porcelain, or even real human teeth. The prototype of the modern toothbrush was invented in 1780 by William Addis.
it was only after 1770 that ladies began to wear their hair high, bulking it out with pads of wool and false hair, or arranged it over a frame, adding ribbons, flowers and feathers. Contemporary cartoons show us exaggeratedly complex styles,
Powdered hair had been in fashion since 1715, and only went out of fashion in 1795 when William Pitt put a tax on it. It was initially used sparsely, but worn more thickly after about 1750. Probably it helped disguise any differences of colour between a lady's own hair and her pads of false hair. It was made of starch, sometimes tinted with colouring, and applied over hair which had been oiled to help it stick.
The Faces Behind the Masks: The "Toilette" in 18th Century England
Smallpox was a particularly virulent disease that left all survivors with pock-marks on their skin --- deep pits created by pustules drying out and scarring the epidermis. This disease is perhaps one of the biggest reasons why almost everyone who wanted to be fashionable wore a lot of makeup in order to hide the scars.
silk, taffeta, or even leather were applied to the face with an adhesive in order to hide the pock-marks. These were considered to be quite fashionable at the time, and were often dyed brilliant colors.
Other people who did not want to wear patches on their faces to hide skin disfigurement would use a thick coat of face powder to make their complexions look white and smooth. Unfortunately, the base element in face powder that made people's faces look so pale was not the talc that we use today, but finely flaked lead.
Lead is easily absorbed by the body and has the side effects of severe head pain, nausea, dizziness, bowel problems, blindness, and, if large enough amounts have been ingested, paralyzation or even death.)
Rouge was another favorite cosmetic. Its name is derived from the French word for "red." Like the popular white face powder, rouge was created from questionable ingredients, including carmine (a lead-based pigment.) People used rouge with wet bits of wool to daub fashionable red spots on their cheeks --- the general idea was that it made an aesthetically pleasing contrast to one's pale, powdered face.
Rouge was also available as a lipstick for both men and women. Sticks of solid rouge were created by mixing carmine with plaster of Paris.
Besides their complexion, women in the 1700's subjected their hair to various tortures, the least of which was powdering their hair after curling it with hot tongs and applying lard as the base to which the powder would stick. Fashion demanded that women have big, complicated hairstyles with which to complement their clothing. Many women resorted to wearing hairpieces and wigs to add "volume" to their hair. Since many of these were difficult to attach and sculpt on a daily basis, women often had their hair done (curled, larded, powdered, and then adorned with small flowers and feathers) once every few weeks and leave it unwashed so it would stay that way.
Not surprisingly, these ladies suffered from a lot of scalp problems. Infestations of lice and/or fleas were common enough even among those who did not --- or could not afford to --- enjoy such an extensive cosmetic procedure. Those wealthier ladies who let themselves be the willing victims of fashion often found mice nesting in their hair because the lard had attracted their hungry attention.
While baths were taken far and few between, people did wash themselves. They usually used home-made soaps and tonics that used ingredients that were easy to find in the garden or in a field somewhere, and everyone doused themselves with large amounts of perfume in an effort to keep away not only bad odor, but also what they believed caused sicknesses.
silk, taffeta, or even leather were applied to the face with an adhesive in order to hide the pock-marks. These were considered to be quite fashionable at the time, and were often dyed brilliant colors.
Other people who did not want to wear patches on their faces to hide skin disfigurement would use a thick coat of face powder to make their complexions look white and smooth. Unfortunately, the base element in face powder that made people's faces look so pale was not the talc that we use today, but finely flaked lead.
Lead is easily absorbed by the body and has the side effects of severe head pain, nausea, dizziness, bowel problems, blindness, and, if large enough amounts have been ingested, paralyzation or even death.)
Rouge was another favorite cosmetic. Its name is derived from the French word for "red." Like the popular white face powder, rouge was created from questionable ingredients, including carmine (a lead-based pigment.) People used rouge with wet bits of wool to daub fashionable red spots on their cheeks --- the general idea was that it made an aesthetically pleasing contrast to one's pale, powdered face.
Rouge was also available as a lipstick for both men and women. Sticks of solid rouge were created by mixing carmine with plaster of Paris.
Besides their complexion, women in the 1700's subjected their hair to various tortures, the least of which was powdering their hair after curling it with hot tongs and applying lard as the base to which the powder would stick. Fashion demanded that women have big, complicated hairstyles with which to complement their clothing. Many women resorted to wearing hairpieces and wigs to add "volume" to their hair. Since many of these were difficult to attach and sculpt on a daily basis, women often had their hair done (curled, larded, powdered, and then adorned with small flowers and feathers) once every few weeks and leave it unwashed so it would stay that way.
Not surprisingly, these ladies suffered from a lot of scalp problems. Infestations of lice and/or fleas were common enough even among those who did not --- or could not afford to --- enjoy such an extensive cosmetic procedure. Those wealthier ladies who let themselves be the willing victims of fashion often found mice nesting in their hair because the lard had attracted their hungry attention.
While baths were taken far and few between, people did wash themselves. They usually used home-made soaps and tonics that used ingredients that were easy to find in the garden or in a field somewhere, and everyone doused themselves with large amounts of perfume in an effort to keep away not only bad odor, but also what they believed caused sicknesses.
The Marquise de Pompadour by François Boucher, 1756
During the 1750s and 60s, the contouche became the most popular dress and was acceptable for formal, such as the official "state" portrait here. It subsequently developed to even more elegance: The front and sides closely hugged the waist now, the front was worn open to reveal a stomacher decorated with lace, embroidery and bows - of which each had a name and gallant meaning. Sometimes the bows would not sit on the stomacher as mere decoration, but be attached to the front of the gown to lace it closed.
More of the jupe was seen, so it had to have a (roughly horizontal) garniture of frills and rosettes. In fact, garniture went riot: artificial flowers, feathers, puffs, rosettes, frills, lace, and of course embroidery were all over the place. Instead of cuffs, the sleeves now had flounces from which multiple layers of bobbin lace flowed.
More of the jupe was seen, so it had to have a (roughly horizontal) garniture of frills and rosettes. In fact, garniture went riot: artificial flowers, feathers, puffs, rosettes, frills, lace, and of course embroidery were all over the place. Instead of cuffs, the sleeves now had flounces from which multiple layers of bobbin lace flowed.
Instead of the wide, almost floor-length hoop skirts, smaller short hoops (half paniers) and later hoops like a basket over each hip (considérations or pocket hoops) were more widely worn. Except for highly formal occasions such as weddings and court, the wide and flat paniers were outdated by the early 1750s.
The colours were much like in the previous decades, but wide vertical stripes became popular. They could appear as actual stripes woven into the fabric, often livened up by small flowers winding along them, or as vertical floral garlands.
Hairdos continued deceptively simple and were almost always powdered. Ladies and gentlemen would put on a special cloak, walk into a small room (the powder room) holding up a mask in front of their face, and have servants work a device under the ceiling that shed powder all over them to achieve an even distribution of powder on the wig.
The colours were much like in the previous decades, but wide vertical stripes became popular. They could appear as actual stripes woven into the fabric, often livened up by small flowers winding along them, or as vertical floral garlands.
Hairdos continued deceptively simple and were almost always powdered. Ladies and gentlemen would put on a special cloak, walk into a small room (the powder room) holding up a mask in front of their face, and have servants work a device under the ceiling that shed powder all over them to achieve an even distribution of powder on the wig.
FASHIONS FOR MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN IN THE REIGN OF LOUIS XVI.
FROM THE GALLERY OF FRENCH FASHIONS AND COSTUMES.
To follow the figures in the plate, adults from left to right, then children from left to right.
No. 1. Young lady in a dress of French style looped up; head-dress a tapé with two single curls, surmounted by a pouf over a gauze thérese after Desrais.
2. Young lady in coloured silk dress trimmed with spotted gauze, the parliament being made of white silk trimmed with spotted blonde; cap à I'Anglaise; after Desrais.
3. Half-mourning dress, grey and black, trimmed with black ganse, white vest with black edging, fringed sleeves after Leclerc.
4. Dandy en chenille, coat of a fashionable colour, sill, vest with a bordering of embroidered silk of different colours, the buttons of the coat in open-work, silver; hat a I'Pensylvanie; after Leclerc.
5. Young lady from Lyons, in a dress of silk called the Piedmontese costume. Head-dress à I'Assyrienne or hérisson, trimmed with a ribbon, bandeau d'amour, intertwined with pearls and surmounted by a feather with an aigrette of diamonds forming a sort of diadem. This fashion was introduced at the Lyons theatre during the visit of the Princess ClotiIde of France, afterwards Princess of Piedmont, to that city in 1785.
6. Frock-coat, with three collars and double-breasted, called redingote en lévite; after Leclerc.
7. Half-mourning: vest of white silk with black edging, under a coat in black cloth or black silk, white silk stockings, fringed linen.
8. Duke and peer, decorated with the king's orders, and holding one of the highest posts at court, wearing an embroidered summer coat; after Leclerc.
9. 10. 11. The little girl is dressed in a frock of glazed linen trimmed with bands and looped up à la polonaise, underneath a white petticoat with a wide muslin flounce; her head-dress consists of a frontlet upon the hair en hérisson. The youngest of the children has a toquet à I'Anglaise. The little boy has a straw-hat, vest and waistcoat à la mariniere.
By Sabatier and Durin.Impr. lith. of Firmin-Didot, Brothers, Son, &
FROM THE GALLERY OF FRENCH FASHIONS AND COSTUMES.
To follow the figures in the plate, adults from left to right, then children from left to right.
No. 1. Young lady in a dress of French style looped up; head-dress a tapé with two single curls, surmounted by a pouf over a gauze thérese after Desrais.
2. Young lady in coloured silk dress trimmed with spotted gauze, the parliament being made of white silk trimmed with spotted blonde; cap à I'Anglaise; after Desrais.
3. Half-mourning dress, grey and black, trimmed with black ganse, white vest with black edging, fringed sleeves after Leclerc.
4. Dandy en chenille, coat of a fashionable colour, sill, vest with a bordering of embroidered silk of different colours, the buttons of the coat in open-work, silver; hat a I'Pensylvanie; after Leclerc.
5. Young lady from Lyons, in a dress of silk called the Piedmontese costume. Head-dress à I'Assyrienne or hérisson, trimmed with a ribbon, bandeau d'amour, intertwined with pearls and surmounted by a feather with an aigrette of diamonds forming a sort of diadem. This fashion was introduced at the Lyons theatre during the visit of the Princess ClotiIde of France, afterwards Princess of Piedmont, to that city in 1785.
6. Frock-coat, with three collars and double-breasted, called redingote en lévite; after Leclerc.
7. Half-mourning: vest of white silk with black edging, under a coat in black cloth or black silk, white silk stockings, fringed linen.
8. Duke and peer, decorated with the king's orders, and holding one of the highest posts at court, wearing an embroidered summer coat; after Leclerc.
9. 10. 11. The little girl is dressed in a frock of glazed linen trimmed with bands and looped up à la polonaise, underneath a white petticoat with a wide muslin flounce; her head-dress consists of a frontlet upon the hair en hérisson. The youngest of the children has a toquet à I'Anglaise. The little boy has a straw-hat, vest and waistcoat à la mariniere.
By Sabatier and Durin.Impr. lith. of Firmin-Didot, Brothers, Son, &
To follow the figures in the plate from left to right:
No. 1. Young lady in a polonaise, trimmings of silk en platitudes, coiffure à la marmotte over a hérisson, bound with a ribbon en barriere after Leveillé.
2. Young lady dressed in a Circassienne looped up, with sleeves à I'Espagnole; head-dress a turban d'amour; after Watteau the younger.
3. Lady of fashion, walking with a cane in her hand, dressed in a silk caraco, trimmed en pouf, after Leclerc.
4. The dissimulée (after Schenau), dressed in the pelisse and the head-dress terminating en caleche.
5. A young lady, head-dress à la Suzanne, with a juste à la Figaro; after Watteau the younger.
6. Young bourgeoise lady wearing a polonaise with an apron of embroidered Indian muslin; head-dress, a demi-négligé cap called le lever de la Reine; after Desrais.
7. Young lady dressed à I'Austrasienne, broad sleeves à l'Isabelle, with a vest à la Péruvienne over which is a belt worn across the shoulders. This costume was originated in 1778, and was called ajustement à Jeanne d'Arc; after Desrais.
By Sabatier and Durin.Imp. lith. of Firmin-Didot, Brothers, Son, & Co.
No. 1. Young lady in a polonaise, trimmings of silk en platitudes, coiffure à la marmotte over a hérisson, bound with a ribbon en barriere after Leveillé.
2. Young lady dressed in a Circassienne looped up, with sleeves à I'Espagnole; head-dress a turban d'amour; after Watteau the younger.
3. Lady of fashion, walking with a cane in her hand, dressed in a silk caraco, trimmed en pouf, after Leclerc.
4. The dissimulée (after Schenau), dressed in the pelisse and the head-dress terminating en caleche.
5. A young lady, head-dress à la Suzanne, with a juste à la Figaro; after Watteau the younger.
6. Young bourgeoise lady wearing a polonaise with an apron of embroidered Indian muslin; head-dress, a demi-négligé cap called le lever de la Reine; after Desrais.
7. Young lady dressed à I'Austrasienne, broad sleeves à l'Isabelle, with a vest à la Péruvienne over which is a belt worn across the shoulders. This costume was originated in 1778, and was called ajustement à Jeanne d'Arc; after Desrais.
By Sabatier and Durin.Imp. lith. of Firmin-Didot, Brothers, Son, & Co.
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