Court Artefacts: Clothing, Shoes & Fabrics

The extravagant fashions of the ancient regime is one of the first things that comes to mind when one thinks of Versailles. Sadly, the majority of the royal family's lavish wardrobes were destroyed during the turbulent days of the revolution. Consequently, only a few articles survive but those that do still gives us an impression of the fashions and craftsmanship of the time. Since the category would otherwise be rather short I have chosen to include artefacts of courtiers as well. 

Note: this page does not concern itself with entire ensembles since these are to be found in the Fashion-section.

Bodice said to have belonged to Marie Antoinette. Note that this is not a whalebone corset which means that it would have been used for less official ceremonies.

Ribbon owned by Madame Adélaide who used it as a belt 

Silk waistcoat with floral embroideries which belonged to the Marquis de Beauharnais 

Chemise worn by the young Louis Charles - son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. For those wondering why it looks so similar to a woman's chemise there is an explanation for that. Until the age of seven boys and girls wore the same chemise-style.

Fragment of the coat worn by Louis XVI on the day of his execution, 1793 (sold at auction by auction.fr) 

The shirt (lot number 186) was the one which Louis XVI slept in on the night before his execution. He changed into another one and left this one behind at the Temple where it was passed on to his valet, Cléry.

Fragment of a dress worn by Marie Antoinette while she was imprisoned at the Temple. It was sold at auction by Sothesby.

Lace worn by Madame Élisabeth during the last years of her life. It was later given to Marie-Thérèse, Duchesse d'Angoulême (Madame Royale) by Bishop Dupanloue

Silk shoes belonging to Marie Antoinette which sold for 65.600 USD

Another pair of shoes belonging to the doomed Marie Antoinette. It was labelled as having belonged to the queen at the time when she was taken to Paris in 1789

Handkerchief with Marie Antoinette's coat-of-arms embroidered on it.