… in Paris during the French Directoire (1795-1799), which followed the Reign of Terror, & and entered the French Revolution.
Merveilleuses meant “marvelous women”; roughly “fabulous divas”. Possibly as a need to reconnect with survivors of those guillotined, or perhaps as a catharsis after the Terror, these young and energetic children of French aristocrats greeted the new regime with an outbreak of luxury, decadence, and silliness.
They held hundreds of “bals”, & started fashion trends in clothing with mannerisms that were exaggerated, affected, and considered “effete” (decadent & self indulgent).
(portrait: favorite depiction of typical Marveilleuse (left) and Incroyable (right) of 1795. These two are rather sedate compared to most at the time)