… among our French fashion influences of the Regency era. Hortense was the step-daughter of Napoleon I, & the child that would carry the Bonaparte blood forward. Hortense was said to have been a beautiful & cheerful child with pale golden hair & blue eyes. An accomplished composer & musician, …
Caroline, little sister of Napoleon I, although extremely well educated, was also very jealous of her sister in law Josephine. She also resented that part of her family including several of her brothers whom she felt got all the royal attention. In attempt to separate herself from them, she devoted …
Caroline, little sister of Napoleon influenced her brother into having an affair. Openly flaunting it, Napoleon had a son with his mistress, & thoroughly angered his wife at the time Josephine. They divorced soon after. Caroline then convinced Napoleon to marry Marie Louise, whom she liked. Caroline helped Marie Louise …
… of 7 siblings, with Napolen the eldest. The Bonaparte family had moved to France from Corsica in 1793. Caroline wanted to marry one of her brother’s top military officers, but he said “non” under the influence of his then wife, Josephine, because she was only 17 years old. She …
After Napoleon’s exile to Waterloo in 1814 & his eventual death, Marie ruled Parma, where she would have two more husbands. (portrait: Marie Louise’s friend, Maria Amalia of Naples, later the Duchesse of Orleans models the 1809 Spanish & military influenced style that Marie Louise of France would have worn)
Napoleon made sure Marie wore the finest, French fabrics, laces, & notions, including the lighter gauze silks with the furs & jewels befitting royalty. (portrait: Marie Louise at home in her French made laces & silks)
Louise was not known for introducing fashion, nor influencing it directly, although she continued the “Regency” styles as were already in place. It was the people around her, designing for her, dressing her, & putting her out to show that influenced fashion of the day. (Portraits featured (1816) & below …
Marie Louise, 2nd wife of Napoleon I Emperor of France, formed fast friendships with her ladys-in-waiting & others of the Court, but was often sent back & forth between countries of safety & France during conflict & war. Being a mother & somewhat of a “homebody”, she missed her friends …
Marie, being softspoken in public, was accused of being “haughty”. Trying to avoid war between France & Prussia, , & thinking she could charm the Prussians into peace, Marie convinced Napoleon to invite the Queen of Prussia to visit. It didn’t work. Napoleon took off for war against Prussia shortly …
Coming from Austria at a time of conflict between Austria & France, Napoleon also enjoyed the relative peace between the countries, & was glad to have Marie Louise’s Austrian noble lineage after his last wife. (painting: Marie Louise of Austria is welcomed to France)
