Historical story

How did an 18th century French nobleman dress?

Example of eighteenth-century clothing of a French nobleman

Shortly before the outbreak of the French Revolution , which would have led, in addition to the well-known political and social upheavals, also to a complete renewal of the canons of fashion , the more traditionalist nobles continued to remain rigidly faithful to the dictates of the so-called "French style “, Inaugurated by Sun King Luigi XIV and remained virtually unchanged until then.

But how did a French noble of the 1700s dress?

An unmissable item in the wardrobe of every gentleman of the time was the habit broth , a jacket characterized by a long tail, embroidered and embellished with a large number of lace and lace, as well as eye-catching linings in a contrasting color with that of the main fabric.

Under the jacket the waistcoat was showing off (https://www.pilloledistoria.it/3183/storia-moderna/moda-maschile-francese-700-panciotto-capo-lusso), always made of a precious fabric, from damask to satin, from silk to velvet, and long even up to the knee; of the kilometer row of buttons, even gold and silver, that characterized it, only the first ones were fastened.

The most extravagant gentlemen wore vests similar to painted canvases, with simple and stylized designs embroidered on them, such as flowers and coats of arms, or decidedly complex and scenographic, such as landscapes and hunting scenes.

The lower body was covered with culottes , trousers that reached just below the knee, where they closed with precious buttons, and socks shiny, usually made of silk.

Finally, we could not miss the graceful and somewhat cutesy pointy shoes , with heel and buckle (precious and expensive).