Both men and women of all social stations completely rejected the idea of bathing as they considered it unhealthy. Most would bathe perhaps once or twice a year. To cover their body odor they wore extreme amounts of perfume. In France, the use of perfume became so offensive that Louis XVI decreed everyone wear the same perfume, changing fragrances daily. In England the use of floured hair became so outlandish, Parliament actually banned it.
Fashion often reflects behavior and morality. The late Georgian period was one of flagrant immorality and a time of hedonistic revelry. Aristocratic women, including girls in their mid to late teens, would have many lovers. Parties started late in the evening and lasted all night. Copious amounts of wine would be consumed at parties which would feature bawdy entertainment, massive amounts of gambling and card play, and any number of opportunities for romantic liaisons.
The perfect film examples of this time period are the Glenn Close version of Dangerous Liaisons and the award-winning Amadeus. Contrast those to the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice. They are two completely different ages, just a few years apart.
The Revolutionary Period
All of this came to an end, literally, beginning in 1789 and cumulating in 1793-1794 with the Reign of Terror when aristocrats, including the King and Queen of France, were arrested and executed by guillotine. Even during the upheaval of social revolution, France was in the forefront of fashion. In a complete repudiation of Georgian extremes of hedonism, an era of classical innocence was created. The first signs of a change began in 1790 when the extreme hairstyles disappeared and women adopted very simple natural styles that resembled classical Greek or Roman statuary.
Empire Fashion
The correct term is Empire. Beginning in the late 1790s, women would take a simple chemise shift and gather it under the breasts and tie it in the back. In stark contrast to the elaborate fabrics of the Georgian period, very light sheer fabrics were used. The modern teddy took the place of the corset, and pantaloons, made of a light stocking material and worn from the waste to the knee, became a permanent fixture in any proper woman’s wardrobe.
In 1804 Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned Emperor. His beloved Josephine looked her very best in the Empire style. Napoleon became a champion of the new simple Empire styles. Women being women and fashion being fashion, whatever the French were wearing, fashionable women everywhere were wearing. In France the style was (and is) called Empire. Because England would soon be involved in the European "world war" to stop Napoleon’s expanding empire, the same fashions in England were called Regency.
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