Fashion in the French Revolution - New Edition

Fashion in the French Revolution looks at the elaborate dress of French society and the court in the 1780s and the way in which plain clothing became identified with "democracy".

Illustrated in full color throughout and with many new additional images, this extensively revised edition of Fashion in the French Revolution looks at the elaborate dress worn by the elite in the 1780s, and then the impact on people's lives and clothing as a result of the events of 1789 onwards. This was a period in which, for the first time, what one wore was radically affected by revolutionary politics and plain clothing became identified with 'democracy'. Award-winning dress historian Aileen Ribeiro skilfully weaves analysis of paintings, engravings, fashion plates and extant garments to reveal how clothing at all levels in society changed as a result.

This new edition, as relevant, informative and provocative as when it was first published in 1988, brings the classic Fashion in the French Revolution to a new generation of readers interested in dress history, fine art, European 18th century history, and all those interested in intelligent, articulate and informed discussion of the period.

About the author

Aileen Ribeiro is Professor Emeritus of History of Art at the University of London, UK. She is a historian of fashion and author of several books about the history of costume. Professor Ribeiro was Head of the History of Dress section at the Courtauld Institute from 1975 until 2009.

Product details

• Authors: Aileen Ribeiro, Aileen Ribeiro
• Publisher: Bloomsbury
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Release: 12.02.2026
• EAN: 9781350320109
• ISBN: 978-1-350-32010-9
• No. of pages: 256
• Dimensions: 189 mm x 246 mm x 25 mm
• Weight: 454 g
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Art > Interior design, design; ART / History / General, DESIGN / Fashion & Accessories, DESIGN / History & Criticism, History of art / art & design styles, History of Art, Fashion & textiles: design, Industrial / commercial art & design, history of design, Fashion and textile design: accessories