Dressed: The History of Fashion

Episode: 18th Century Fashion and Etiquette at Versailles (Dressed Classic)
Release Date: September 5, 2025
Hosts: April Callahan & Cassidy Zachary

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, April and Cassidy transport listeners to the sumptuous world of 18th-century Versailles, offering a primer on the intricate intertwining of fashion and etiquette at the French royal court. The discussion highlights how dress functioned as more than mere adornment—it was a tool of political control, a symbol of status, and, at times, a matter of survival. They break down the layers (literal and social) that defined court attire for both men and women, share the ritualistic nature of dressing at Versailles, and reflect on the enduring influence of this era in fashion history.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Political Power of Fashion at Versailles

• Versailles as the Epicenter: Versailles was the ultimate stage for displaying extravagant fashions and wealth (01:16–02:12).
• Dress as National Wealth: King Louis XIV’s minister, Colbert, called fashion “to France what the gold mines of Peru are to Spain,” highlighting its economic and political importance (03:18, April).
• Fashion and Nationalism: French aristocrats were expected to buy and wear French-made garments to support the national economy. Importing or wearing foreign textiles was frowned upon (10:21–11:13).

Etiquette as Social Control

• Elaborate Rituals: Ceremonies like the grand lever (the king’s morning routine) and couché (his bedtime ritual) kept courtiers busy, reinforcing the king’s central power and creating a hierarchical system where access itself was a privilege (08:38–09:49).
• Dress and Rank: Even small tasks (like handing the king a napkin or dressing the queen) were tightly regulated by status and etiquette, as recounted in anecdotes like Marie Antoinette’s infamous dressing ritual (07:02–08:00).

What Did People Actually Wear?

• Men’s Fashion:

  • Abit Francais: Three-piece suits including a vest/waistcoat, coat, and breeches (14:25).
  • No underwear was typical; a long shirt served as the base layer (14:25–15:08).
  • Stockings and Calves: Well-formed calves were a status symbol—enhanced by elaborate stockings, diamond buckles, or even calf pads (15:32–16:50).
  • Ornamental Attire: Men wore floral motifs, pastels, sequins, velvet, lace, jewelry, and even high heels—a marked contrast to later gender norms (17:05–18:27).

• Women’s Fashion:

  • Robe à la Française and Robe à l’Anglaise: Open-front gowns, distinguished by back pleating or tailoring (19:15–19:55).
  • Layered Dressing: Chemise, stockings, petticoats, stays (corsets), wide panniers (hoops), stomacher, and then the gown itself—a lengthy and communal process (19:15–26:04).
  • Textile Value: Fabrics were precious commodities, often refashioned and reused, and vast quantities of luxurious materials signaled high social standing (26:51–27:49).
  • Court Dress: Required specifics like lace “engageants” and a train, and the formality was dictated by the event, not the hour (29:05–30:04).

Dress as a Weapon and Burden

• Exclusivity and Privilege: Certain materials, trims, and accessories were restricted to the king, royal family, or specially honored individuals (30:15–31:40).
• “Honored” Discomfort: The higher a woman’s rank, the more uncomfortable her corset (grand corps), underscoring fashion as a literal and figurative constraint (31:40–32:24, Cassidy).
• Political Dimensions: Fashion was a tool for social control—enforcing hierarchy and even draining the funds of potential rivals, but also a point of vulnerability, as seen in the revolutionary backlash against aristocratic opulence (33:26–33:48).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fashion’s Economic Impact:
  “Fashion is to France what the gold mines of Peru are to Spain.”
  — Jean Baptiste Colbert, quoted by April (03:18)

• On the Functions of Etiquette:
  “It was designed and implemented to keep the king’s courtiers busy. The busier they were executing his daily dictates and routines, the less of a political threat they posed to his reign.” — Cassidy (08:38)

• On Marie Antoinette’s Annoyance:
  “[Marie Antoinette was left] standing there naked waiting for the specific person who was supposed to be entitled to hand her undergarments... and basically at the end of the whole scene, the Queen was like, very annoyed and very fed up.” — April (07:02)

• On Gender and Adornment:
  “Floral pastels, jewels, sequins, bright colors, plush velvets—they were all part and parcel to the male aristocratic wardrobe, as were high heels... In Europe, men wore high heels before women.” — Cassidy (17:05)

• On the Value of Textiles:
  “Textiles... could be incredibly valuable, given and received as gifts, and sometimes some of the more costly items that a person might own… Even Marie Antoinette had some of her own dresses refashioned because the textiles themselves were so intrinsically valuable.” — April (26:51)

• On Discomfort as Privilege:
  “Basically, the higher your rank at court, the more uncomfortable you’re ‘honored’ to be.” — April (32:24)

• On Fashion as Social Weapon:
  “Fashion and dress were wielded as forms of social control and politicized as markers of class and status… Fashion’s brightest star and its unhappiest victim.” — April (33:26)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:16 — Introduction: Setting the scene in 18th-century Versailles
• 03:18 — Colbert’s famous quote about French fashion
• 04:24–05:47 — Official support for fashion trades and Versailles expansion
• 07:02–08:09 — Marie Antoinette’s dressing ritual and frustrations with etiquette
• 08:38–09:49 — Purpose of etiquette: politics and control
• 10:21–11:13 — Nationalistic pressure to buy French fashion
• 13:43–14:25 — Breakdown: What men wore at Versailles
• 15:32–16:50 — The allure of men’s calves and creative enhancements
• 17:05–18:27 — Rich details of men’s decorative attire and its later gendering
• 19:15–20:28 — Women’s robe styles and the start of the dressing process
• 21:48–22:57 — The role and design of stays (early corsets)
• 25:35–26:51 — Final dressing steps and realities for women
• 27:49–28:16 — The symbolism and value of wide panniers and textiles
• 29:05–30:04 — Specifications and formalities of court attire
• 31:40–32:24 — Grand corps corsets and discomfort as status
• 33:26–33:48 — Conclusion: Fashion as control and class marker

Further Resources & Related Episodes

• Marie Antoinette & Her Dressmaker: “Rose Fashion in the Reign of Marie Antoinette” with Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell (33:48)
• French Revolution & Fashion: Two-part episodes—“Fashion and Politics, the French Revolution” and “Subcultural Stylings: The Incroyables and Merveilleuses” (33:48)
• Upcoming: Next week’s deep dive “Corset Myths and Realities” with Cynthia of Red Threaded

Final Reflection

April and Cassidy offer more than a fashion history lesson; their witty, insightful deconstruction of Versailles’ fashion culture spotlights the role of dress in both personal identity and statecraft. The episode leaves listeners reflecting on where “the power resides in your wardrobe” (34:23, April)—then and now.

Find More:
Visual content for this episode is available on Instagram (@dressedpodcast) and Facebook (Dressed Podcast).
Browse their recommended fashion history books at bookshop.org/shop/dressed.