The Naughty Side of 18th Century French Fashions

I continue my series of antique French Fashion plates from the time of Maire Antoinette with a few examples of some of the more extreme fashions of the day. Most of us modern ladies think of historical clothing prior to the 1920's as being very conservative and buttoned up; however this is not always the case.  Low cut bodices were very much in fashion for much of the 16th - 19th Centuries.  Strange how it was permissible to expose so much of ones bosom in public yet exposing ones shoulders would have been too risque'.

Many fashionable women in the late 18th century even went so far as to expose one or both nipples on occasion; or their bodice was cut so low that with the slightest movement a nipple might make a surprise appearance.

Now mind you the woman would act just slightly shocked at the occurrence but it was well known that by wearing gowns of that "cut" it was bound to happen.  I can just image the men of the day placing bets as to when Madam X's nipple(s) would appear during a ball or supper.  

It must have been hilarious to watch.

French Fashion plate from c1780 showing an exposed nipple

 Above is a French fashion plate from the 1780's showing just how low fashionable 

bodices had come.  There is no question that the ladies nipple is indeed exposed.

This is not a solo fashion plate.  I have several that show exposed nipples from this same time period and others where a majority of the breast is exposed even if the nipple is not obvious to see.  

This extreme fashion was not only in France but to some extent in England and other progressive European countries.  Not all women went as far as to expose their nipple(s), others chose only to allow the areolae to be visible and those more modest, would allow the bodice to come just to but not quite expose the that much of their charms.  

Any way you look at it, showing cleavage or one's décolletage was an acceptable fashion statement of the day.  The question was not would you show cleavage but "how low will you go"?

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I thought it would be interesting to post about some of the more daring fashions from this time of Marie Antoinette (the late 1770's through the late 1780's) that show how low the bodices could be.  Some do not blatantly expose the nipple(s) as seen in the above engraving; however in many of them on closer inspection you realize just how exposed they really are.

Extreme "Naughty" French Fashions

Exposed nipples are shown in these fashion plates

Both nipples are exposed in this fashion plate (they are very pale but they are there)

 

A slight lean over to the side and her left nipple is exposed

Age did not seem to matter either - both nipples are exposed but she does wear a scarf.

Both nipples are in plane sight in this fashion plate

These could be "exposed" 

if not they are very close to giving a peep show

Looks like her left nipple is exposed to me

Same here - her left nipple appears to be peeking just above the lace

This time I believe there is a hint of nipple above the lace on her right breast

 "Exposure" is just a question of time

With a deep breath or a slight turn - everyone would be in for quite a surprise.

Almost exposed but not quite.

Just below the lace - so don't breath too deep if you don't want all revealed

She looks as if she is tugging up her bodice but it's too low to hide for long

Widows Weeds with a bit of flash, because there isn't much keeping her in that bodice

Just dare me!

Just a bit of lace keeping her charms under wraps

I say she is a good candidate for a possible show and tell session later in in that gown

Hidden behind a scrap of lace - but not for long by the looks of it

Looks like she is loosing/winning the battle with her right breast

I still love historical fashions yet I can't say that I would have been very comfortable exposing myself in any of these gowns.  I probably would have dared to go fairly low but I would not wished to risk putting myself "all out there" if you know what I mean.

Still I wanted to have a bit of fun with one of these fashion plates and chose to make the last on into a png and then proceeded to play with colors.  Here are an assortment for you pleasure.

The original turned into a png file

Toned down version of the original

Blue and Teal version

Teal and Blue version

Olive and Blue version

Blue version

Teal version

Olive version

Brown and Olive version

Brown version

Olive and Brown version

Purple two-tone version

Purple version

I hope these "flashy" fashion plates from the late 18th century
have given you a few grins and giggles; as they have me.

Till the next set of fashion plates from the late 1700's...

For more information on Décolletage see HERE

Portrait of Princess Lamballe with exposed nipples 
can be seen HERE with an interesting discussion about it HERE

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