Louis XV.: "The stately figure,
rich costume, awe-inspiring peruke of the magnificent Louis XIV.--the
satins, velvets, embroideries, perfumes, and powder of the indolent
and handsome Louis XV., well illustrate the two epochs." The beauty of
the Louis XIV. age was more serious, more imposing, imperial, classic;
later in the eighteenth century, under Louis XV., she developed into
a charming figure of _finesse, sveltesse et gracilite_, with an
extremely delicate complexion, a small mouth and thin nose, as opposed
to the strong, plump mouth and _nez leonin_ (leonine nose). More
animated, the face was all movement, the eyes talked; the _esprit_
passed to the face. It was the type of Marivaux' comedies, with an
_esprit mobile_, animated and colored by all the coquetries of grace.

Later in the century, the very opposite type prevailed; the aspiration
then became to leave an emotion ungratified rather than to seduce;
a languishing expression was cultivated; women sought to sweeten the
physiognomy, to make it tender and mild. The style of beauty changed
from the brunette with brown eyes--so much in vogue under Louis XV.,
to the blonde with blue eyes under Louis XVI. Even the red which
formerly "dishonored France," became a favorite. To obtain the much
admired pale complexion, women had themselves bled; their dress
corresponded to their complexion, light materials and pure white being
much affected.

In these three stages of the development of beauty, fashion changed
to harmonize with the popular style in beauty. In general, styles
were influenced by an important event of the day: thus, when Marie
Leczinska, introduced the fad of quadrilles, there were invented
ribbons called "quadrille of the queen"; and many other fads
originated in the same way. French taste and fashions travelled over
entire Europe; all Europe was _a la francaise_, yoked and laced in
French styles, French in art, taste, industry. The domination of the
French _Galerie des Modes_ was due to the inventive minds of French
women in relation to everything pertaining to headdress, to detailed
and delicate arrangements of every phase of ornamentation.

Every country had, in Paris, its agents who eagerly waited for the
appearance of the famous doll of the Rue Saint-Honore; this figure
was an exponent of the latest fashions and inventions, and, changing
continually, was watched and copied by all Europe. Alterations in
style frequently originated at the supper of a