“That puce (flea) colour becomes you admirably.” The next day every lady at the court wore a puce-coloured gown, old puce, young puce “ventre de puce” (flea’s belly), “dos de puce” (flea’s back), &c. As the new colour did not soil easily, and was therefore less expensive than lighter tints, the fashion of puce gowns was adopted by the bourgeoisie, and the dyers were unable to meet the pressing requirements of their customers. During the reign of Louis XVI., many new colours were worn, either in combination or successively, such as “puce,” “rash tears,” “Paris mud,” Carmelite, “entraves de procureurs” (procureurs tricks), &c. These were all quiet colours, and were used for simple costumes. In 1763, the Opera House was burnt down; and the fine ladies would wear nothing but “couleur tison d’opéra,” or “brand from the opera;” in 1781, they held to “opéra brûlé,” or burnt opera-house. I should find it difficult to describe these two shades otherwise than as flame-coloured. After the performance of _Athalie_ at the Court Theatre, in 1780, women of fashion wore the Jewish Levitical tunic; and shortly after the opera of _Atys_ (by Quinault and Lulli) had resumed its place on the stage, they dressed their hair “à la doux sommeil” (gentle slumber). Mme. Dugazon, in _Blaise et Babet_, an opera by Desède (1783), wore a blue silk skirt shot with pink, and shot silks became all the fashion. In 1786 the same actress set the fashion of caps “à la Nina,” from Dalayrac’s opera of that name. “Coiffures à la créole” were worn next, made of Madras handkerchiefs, like those in Kreutzer’s opera of _Paul et Virginie_; and lastly, hats “à la Primerose,” from another play of Dalayrac’s. During many years of the reign of Louis XVI., the court of Versailles was ignorant of the very name of Oberkampf, a manufacturer who had at last (1759) obtained permission to establish a factory of coloured prints (indiennes) near Versailles. A mere accident made him suddenly famous. A certain great lady, whose Persian cambric was the envy of all the princesses, had the misfortune to tear it. She hastened to the factory at Jouy, and claimed the help of Oberkampf, who succeeded in his efforts to produce a similar gown, and whose name was immediately in every one’s mouth. The ladies at Versailles would wear nothing but Jouy cambrics; and from that time prints have been constantly worn by the women of the people, but they are seldom seen at the present day. Gowns trimmed with one material only were much in favour; straw-coloured satin was very much used. These dresses were trimmed in various ways, either with gauze, lace, or fur. There were innumerable varieties of trimming, besides brocaded or painted satin, and each had its own special name. The most fashionable tint for satin was either “soupir étouffe” (stifled sigh), or apple-green with white stripes, called “vive bergère” (the lively shepherdess).