Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution
by Caroline Weber
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Book Summary Information
Author: Caroline WeberEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-10-02
ISBN: 0312427344
Number of pages: 432
Publisher: Picador
Book Reviews of Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution
Book Review: Biography of a fashion icon
Summary: 5 Stars
Pros: Unique and successful way of approaching Marie Antoinette's life, well written and entertaining.
Cons: Sometimes gets a tad bit too descriptive with the costumes.
"Queen of Fashion" approaches the life of Marie Antoinette by looking at the wardrobe that she was infamous for. Caroline Weber has a brilliant talent for showing both what Marie Antoinette's wardrobe said about her as a person, a political entity and for what her subjects perceived it as saying. Part cultural history, but above all, biography, each chapter of "Queen of Fashion" reveals a different aspect of Marie's personality. Weber does not merely focus on the queen's most outrageous fashion choices, but shows the progression of her life through her clothes. We see Marie Antoinette as a scared fourteen-year-old, stripped of her clothing and power, as a glittering diva spending obscene amounts of money to be the first lady of fashion, and as a widow dressed in black, deprived of the clothing choices that had come to define her, but still attempting to make statements with what little she had left. The book doesn't make any apologies for Marie, but neither does it cast blame. It merely helps the reader to understand her better.
"Queen of Fashion" is superbly written. There is enough documented research to give the book weight, but it never feels dry or academic. I have trouble finding any faults with the book, but if anything, I would say that Weber just occasionally gets carried away with describing Marie Antoinette's outfits and goes on longer than needed.
Overall, though, a lush, entertaining book about a fascinating woman. 5 stars.
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