Court Couture

Yesterday I mentioned the Heian period (AD 794 - 1185) - a time when the Imperial Court of Japan was at its height. All one has to do is read the Pillow Book or the Tale of Genji to get the aesthetic refinement of this distant period.

Other periods of stunning court fashion include the reigns of:
1. Amenhotep III
2. Elizabeth I
3. François I

And there are many, many more to speak of. But fashion of these periods is marked by strong dress codes that were enforced, at the very least, by the pleasure or displeasure of the ruling king/queen.

We live in a time when fashion is free, but seemingly not as fabulous. But that's a jaundiced view; fashion is merely the reflection of its time.

This entry begins a new study here at the Paris Copy: Court Couture. We'll explore some of these codes of dress, and how they were carried off by some of the most stylish men and women of their respective times.

- AP