Robes à la Levantine & à la Lévite

Robe à la Levantine

Despite its name, the robe à la Levantine is not a gown in itself like a robe à la Française or à l'Anglaise. Instead, it is a sleeveless - or short-sleeved - robe which was worn over a usually gown with long sleeves which would pass through the sleeves of the Levantine.  Compared to the very tight-fitted gowns usually worn by French aristocrats the robe à la Levantine was loose and was fitted at the back with somewhat loose pleating. Typically, it would be hemmed with fur, particularly ermine.

The robe à la Levantine was amongst the styles which became popular with the trend for "turquerie" or Turkish fashions. According to the Galerie des Modes et Costumes of 1779, the robe à la Levantine was the invention of Sarrazier who served as a costumier to the Princes of the Blood. 

The example given by the 1779
edition of the Galerie des 
Modes

It is easy to mistake the robe à la Levantine for a robe à la Reine - the latter is the name of a loose-fitting robe worn by Marie Antoinette during her first pregnancy. The lack of tightness around the waist made it a far more comfortable alternative to the rigid whalebone-supported court gowns; it is therefore not surprising that many women at court were pleased to adopt this new, exotic trend. While few ladies would venture beyond their own threshold, it suited just fine for a quiet day at home.

As the gown opened in the front, it became necessary to have something to fasten it with. Usually, this was done with a simple pin but a brooch might serve as well.

Robe à la Lévite

Popularly said to be inspired by Racine's "Athalie" in which the choir wore similar gowns to the robe à la Lévite. Like the Levantine, the Lévite was opened in the front but was often worn with a belt or rather a sash tied loosely into a fashionable knot. Besides the belt, it was also fastened with bows or buttons - always placed above the waist. It also sported a large collar, typically accentuated with a fichu.

Robe à la Lévite - note the belt and the
somewhat loose-fitted waist

Another aspect which connected the Levantine with the Lévite was the sheer comfort. As the gown was not meant to be worn with a stiff corset, it became far more preferable. Initially, the gown was ankle-length but it eventually developed a train. Unlike the Levantine, the Lévite had full sleeves extending down to the wrists but were not nearly as snug as the usual court gowns.

Marie Antoinette was very fond of this type of gown and had worn it during her first pregnancy in 1778; by 1782, they made up a third of her substantial wardrobe. 

Se how the bodice is held together

While the queen was celebrated for making the gown fashionable, the Vicomtesse de Jaucourt caused quite a stir of her own in 1781 when she appeared in the Luxembourg garden in a Lévite with a new twist: a so-called "monkey's tail" which apparently intended to raise the gown a little. Its name was derived from the long, twisted train. It was said to have caused such a stir that the Swiss Guards belonging to the Comte de Provence had to ask her to leave.