Fashion, Femininity, Frivolity: Marie Antoinette and the Rococco Legacy
Graduation Date
Spring 2012
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Program Name
Humanities
First Reader
Heidi Chreiten, PhD
Second Reader
Leslie Ross, PhD
Abstract
In the two hundred years since her death, Marie Antoinette (1755-1793) has became a hugely popular subject in academic scholarship and pop culture alike. Her role as a fashion icon in eighteenth-century France has resulted in monumental influence on contemporary fashion and pop culture aimed at young women. However, the effects of anti-fashion, anti-Rococo, and anti-woman sentiment in late-eighteenth-century culture continue to color our perception of the "frivolous," feminine world she represents. This thesis explores the relationship between women, fashion, art, and politics in eighteenth- century France: women's social and political gains, the rise of the fashion industry, how Marie Antoinette in particular used fashion as a means of constructing political and personal identity, and the resulting backlash. The last chapter considers how Marie Antoinette has managed to remain an icon to contemporary female audiences, demonstrating a powerful relationship between women, fashion, and identity.