HERE IS Carneval expiring: let us finish speaking of ball dress along with it. We have only shown dress for bals parés (1) in the last two Issues; it is just that we would speak of dress at bals masqués, at least in ending.
For the bals masqués of honest people, and the Opera balls, there is only the disguise of the Domino, strictly speaking. More or less of the costumes of Harlequins, Pierrots, Pulchinellos, coquettish peasants that were worn in great quantities in times long passed; more or less of the costumes of Old Men, Mendians, Podagres, Blind Men, Turks, the Chinese, or other grotesque disguises with which a thousand offenses have been permitted, or a thousand unpleasant scenes; all these accoutrements are relegated to the balls of City dance masters, and even to the balls of La Courtille or the Grand-Salon. Only Dominos serve for the beautiful and grand balls.
But which is worn? or instead, which color is worn, since they must all have nearly the same shape, and be of the same fabric (taffeta)? That is what we must say. Those that are worn the most this year are of canary’s-tail color. In previous years, black, puce, or other somber colors were worn; this year, bright colors are worn, or soft colors, pink, lilac, unbleached linen, violet, canary’s tail, poppy, white, etc. In previous years, they were worn trimmed with gauzes, ribbons, and garlands of artificial flowers. It is only masks which are put on the face which don’t change.
The Woman represented in this Plate wears a Domino of canary’s-tail colored taffeta, trimmed on the hood and the fronts with a garland of artificial roses, and at the bottom with a flounce of white gauze, and two garlands of artificial roses. Her Domino is fastened with two large knots of pink ribbons.
Her hair is frizzed all over in little detached curls. Two large curls on each side hang over her chest. In the back, her hair is pulled up in a flat chignon, falling very low.
In her ears hang gold earrings à la Plaquette.
Her hands are covered with gloves of white leather. In the right, she holds her shining black mask, which has a long lappet of pink taffeta.
Her shoes are of pink satin, flounced with a white satin ribbon.
We have shown her with an uncovered face, because it is rather ordinary for a pretty woman to uncover herself at a ball, whether from fear of overheating her complexion or to allow it to be seen. And even when she is rather elegantly coiffed, or in a manner that complements her face, she never puts the hood of her Domino over her head, in order not to spoil her coiffure.
(1) As men have not had predetermined costumes for the balls this year, we have only shown ball dress for Ladies. In the winter of 1786, they have danced much with coats of black tricot, trimmed with Brandebourgs or tresses, or with olives of black silk; but this winter, they dance with all coats indifferently; excepting, however, redingot-coats and redingotes.
Mimic of Modes 