Galerie des Modes, 37e Cahier, 5e Figure

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Grey second mourning suit lined with black, edged with a black gance, the white vest embroidered with black, fringed manchettes. (1781)

"One knows a point called the precise time that it is necessary to grieve for the loss of a father and mother, grandfather and grandmother, husband and wife, brother and sister.  Not only the term is calculated, but also the graduated expression of sadness; all the nuances are laid down and engraved, that is, printed.  Mourning has three nearly equal periods.  One knows that women may or may not wear diamonds; when men may wear the épée and silver buckles, or have bronze shoes and buckles.  The sadness decreases with the color of dress: batiste manchettes, wool stockings, wool suit, silk suit, embroidered manchettes, trimmed narrowly, tears more or less abundant!  Even the coaches have black harnesses suring the first months, and then they are whitened during the next six weeks.  Mourning, for men and horses, lightens in a progressive march, and who has his laws."

Sébastien MERCIER, Tableau de Paris, edit. 1783