The Chemise à la Reine was a dress made infamous by Marie Antoinette in the early 1780s. In contrast to the highly structured opulent garments worn by the French court, the gown was made of thin muslin and resembled underwear. When Elisabeth VigéeLebrun painted Marie Antoinette in her new clothes, the portrait launched a scandal and solidified the peoples’ hatred for their queen.

It's like Netflix for history... Sign up to History Hit, the world's best history documentary service and get 50% off using the code 'AbsoluteHistory' https://bit.ly/3vn5cSH

This channel is part of the History Hit Network. Any queries please contact: [email protected]