The Puce Gown.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 3099, 15 September 1899, Page 6

The Puce Gown.

In the early summer of 17T5 Marie Antoinette made her appearance in a sort of chestnut-brown gown, and the King said iaughingly : "That puce (flea) colour becomes you admirably." It is recorded that on bhe folio-wing day every lady at the Court wore a pucepoloured gown, old puce, young puce. " dos de puce" (flea's back), &c. Many new colours were worn, either in combination, or successively, such as "rash toars," "Paris sand," and "Oarmelite." Outr" shapes prevailed over every kind of opposition. It should not be inferred from the foregoing observations that some of the costumes of that period were not strikingly handsome and artistic both in respect of fabric and fabrication. The patch-box, with its lid lined with a looking-glass, was m the hands of every woman of fashion. In early Roman times patches were -worn by orators of the Tribune. They Wtere adopted as an accessory to a lady's toilet about 1655, and continued ln favour until the time of the Regency, b^ing revived in tbe reign of Louis XIV They were simply bits of blaxik silk sticking-plaster, what are known | to-day as court-plaster. ! The old code explaining the significance of a patch on a certain part of the face was as follows : — The " Impassioned" patch was fixed at the oorner of tbe eye ; thf> " gallant," in tfrfc middle of the cheek : the receleuse (.or receiver of stolen goods), on a spot or pimple ; the effrontee, or bold-faced, oo the nose, and the " coquette," on the lips. A round patch was called " tbe assassin." The great Massillon preached a sermon in which he anathematised patches. The effect produced by his discourse was rather unexpected ; patches were worn in greater numbers than ever, and known as moucbes de Massillon.— " Form."