Category: The Ladies Chronicle

Blog, French History, The Ladies Chronicle

Madame Adelaide of Versailles: A Complex Tapestry of Relationships

Step into the glamorous world of the Royal Court of Versailles, where the enigmatic Madame Adelaide took centre stage. Well, for a time, at least. As the eldest surviving daughter of Louis XV, her life was a whirlwind of alliances, rivalries, and unexpected twists. Get ready to unravel the captivating relationships that shaped her journey through power and influence. Sisterhood and solidarity Picture Madame Adelaide … Continue reading Madame Adelaide of Versailles: A Complex Tapestry of Relationships

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Blog, French History, The Ladies Chronicle

Rose Bertin: The Fashion Maven of Marie Antoinette’s Court

Step into the dazzling world of 18th-century French fashion and meet Rose Bertin, a trailblazer who transformed clothing into art. She was a celebrated milliner and dressmaker whose influence on the fashion landscape of her time was unmatched. Rose had a special relationship with Marie Antoinette, the iconic queen of France, and together they created couturial magic!  Rose Bertin’s influence on fashion during her time … Continue reading Rose Bertin: The Fashion Maven of Marie Antoinette’s Court

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Blog, French History, The Ladies Chronicle, Versailles Rules, Etiquette and the Clothes

Servants In The Palace Of Versailles

When The Sun King Louis XIV moved his court permanently to the magnificent Palace of Versailles, he made a big mistake. When considering how to house his court, he forgot (or, more likely, didn’t consider it important) to build space for the servants. The palace’s apartments were already cosy for the nobles themselves – housing the help was an ongoing issue. Continue reading Servants In The Palace Of Versailles

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Blog, French History, The Ladies Chronicle

Court Dress At The Palace Of Versailles

To be adored at the Royal Court of Versailles, one had to be fashionably dressed. But following fashion trends cost ladies and gentlemen a literal fortune. To afford to keep up with fashion, nobles would raise the rents and taxes owed to them by poor farmers and tenants, which undoubtedly contributed to the French Revolution. So, Why Were Court Dresses So Expensive? Just remember, this … Continue reading Court Dress At The Palace Of Versailles

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Blog, French History, The Ladies Chronicle

The Diamond Necklace Affair: The Begining Of The End

In 1785, Paris was buzzing with rumours of a daring theft involving a diamond necklace worth 1.6 million livres, which way back when was equivalent to a wealthy aristocrat’s annual income. In today’s standards, that’s about 54 million Aussie dollars. On a single necklace. Now, on any given year, this might have been enough to have common French citizens shaking their heads, but we’re coming … Continue reading The Diamond Necklace Affair: The Begining Of The End

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Blog, French History, The Ladies Chronicle, Versailles Rules, Etiquette and the Clothes

Marie Antoinette Shocks Nobles by Taking a Bath

Daily bathing was not the fashion during Marie Antoinette‘s reign over France. French courtiers of the 18th century were all about sponging down the worst where necessary and saving baths for warm weather and emergencies. In fact, bathing was such a luxury that only wealthy nobles had bathing facilities in their own homes. Everyone else had either a bucket and sponge in front of the … Continue reading Marie Antoinette Shocks Nobles by Taking a Bath

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Blog, French History, The Ladies Chronicle, Versailles Rules, Etiquette and the Clothes

Versailles: The Daily Ceremonies

In the heyday of Versailles’ majestic court life, ‘ceremonies’ were an integral part of life. The ceremonies were rituals that took place every day to showcase the royal family’s importance, and the court performed them with earnest sincerity. These ceremonies were for anything, such as the ‘debotter’ ceremony of removing the king’s boots, his waking up and going to bed ceremonies and the ritualistic ‘getting … Continue reading Versailles: The Daily Ceremonies

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Blog, The Elizabethans, The Ladies Chronicle

Elizabethan Hair and Makeup

We’ll break it down layer by layer, but let’s first look at what it meant to be beautiful in the Elizabethan era. It’s no coincidence that all that was seen as fashionable – fair or strawberry hair, pale skin, bright eyes – were features that came naturally to Queen Elizabeth, reigning monarch of the era. She was pale of skin, fair of hair and reportedly … Continue reading Elizabethan Hair and Makeup

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Blog, The Ladies Chronicle, Tudor Women

Queen Elizabeth I

Not Just a Girl Princess Elizabeth was born on September 7, 1533. She was the daughter of Henry VIII, the King of England, and his second wife, Queen Anne.  For a little back story, Henry’s first wife, the dignified Catherine of Aragon, had one living daughter to him. She had born a son, though sadly, the little boy died days after his birth. Sadly, Catherine … Continue reading Queen Elizabeth I

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Blog, French History, The Ladies Chronicle

Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette (1755-1793) was the wife of Louis XVI and the Queen of France between 1774 and 1792. Marie Antoinette’s fate has made her the best-known of her 15 brothers and sisters who included the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II and Queen Maria Carolina of Sicily. Early Life Born in Vienna on 2 November 1755, Maria Antonia Anna Josepha was the fifteenth of the sixteen children of … Continue reading Marie Antoinette

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