A Corner on the Boulevard des Italiens, 1833

The man in this plate is wearing a militaire or demi-solde redingote, a long, low-waisted coat. He is also wearing a 'chapeau claque' or what contemporary Americans might call a 'top hat.' The woman is wearing a dress that is tightly cinched at the middle by a corset and accentuated on both sides by large, billowing sleeves and a very wide skirt. She is also wearing a fashionable Alsatian cap. Abstract sources: Boucher, François. 20,000 Years of Fashion. Harry N. Abrams, Inc, New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1967. Ruppert, Jacques. Le Costume Français. Paris : Flammarion,1996.