Robe à la Française, c. 1755–1770

This gown reflects elite women’s formal dress of the mid-18th century, characterised by a fitted front bodice and a full skirt supported by side hoops, with loose pleats falling from the shoulders at the back. Known as the robe à la française, this style was a defining garment of Rococo fashion, particularly in France, where opulence and decorative refinement were central to elite dress.

Robe à la française gowns were typically constructed from richly coloured silks and worn with decorative stomachers, engageantes at the sleeves, and elaborate hairstyles. The open-fronted skirt revealed a contrasting petticoat, while the gown’s overall silhouette emphasised width at the hips and a structured, elongated torso. Such garments were primarily worn for court functions, formal visits, and other high-status social occasions.

This style is consistent with fashion imagery from approximately 1755–1770, a period during which the robe à la française reached peak popularity before gradually being supplanted by slimmer, more natural silhouettes later in the century.

Credits & Details

• Creator: Simulated Styles
• Original creator site: https://simulatedstyles.tumblr.com
• Era: Rococo
• Decade: 1750s-1760s