New Levite of plain Taffeta, with amadis sleeves, the Trim in striped Gauze. (1780)
LÉVITE A PAREMENT. The bodice closed, held in with a bow. Sabot cuffs à la Bayard,* with bows at the join of the arm: these are the most gallant of all the sabots. Amadises matching the petticoat;** very large parement on the Gown, and trimmed en piedouche;† the volant sewn, uniform with the parement.Non-busquée belt, bell-cord style, ending with gold tassels, tufted with sequins in diverse colors.
Coiffure à la Cybele,†† with a ribbon bandeau, pinched and held in with a star of brilliants; a tuft of flowers coming out of the bandeau.
* Possibly a reference to the Chevalier de Bayard (1473-1524), le chevalier sans peur et sans reproche; there is something historicizing about the cuffs.
** The colorist should have made the lower half of the sleeves green.
† "in pedestal style", referring to the way the parements are the same size the whole way down (unlike those of the robe parée)
†† An Anatolian goddess, assimilated into Greek mythology as an exotic goddess with an ecstatic following, and associated with the fertility of nature.
