The leading fashion designers of the eighteenth century looked to the sixteenth century and later to classical Greece and Rome for ideas and inspiration.
Category: Directory
The Directory or Directorate (French: Le Directoire; 26 October 1795 – 24 December 1799) was the last form of government of the French Revolution.
French directoire. Neoclassical fashion in the transition to the Empire.
French directoire. Neoclassical fashion in the transition to the Empire. 1789-1800.
Costumes and shawls. French directorate, consulate and first Empire.
Costumes and scarves in the 18th and 19th century. The fashion of classicism during the French directorate, consulate and first empire.

Textilepedia. The Complete Fabric Guide.
The Textile Manual is an encyclopaedia of textile information, from material to yarn, from fabric structure to the finishing process. Encompassing practical tips for a range of textiles and detailed visuals, this ultra-accessible manual is the perfect companion for fashion aficionados and aspiring fashion designers.
Directoire. Characteristic costume of the French revolutionaries.
The striped stockings and crooked stick are characteristic of the Incroyables. The trend toward simplicity resulted in a classic silhouette for women (Merveilleuses).

Auguste Racinet. The Costume History by Françoise Tétart-Vittu.
Racinet's Costume History is an invaluable reference for students, designers, artists, illustrators, and historians; and a rich source of inspiration for anyone with an interest in clothing and style. Originally published in France between 1876 and 1888, Auguste Racinet’s Le Costume historique was in its day the most wide-ranging and incisive study of clothing ever attempted.
Covering the world history of costume, dress, and style from antiquity through to the end of the 19th century, the six volume work remains completely unique in its scope and detail. “Some books just scream out to be bought; this is one of them.” ― Vogue.com

Fashion types of the Directory. Stock exchange speculators and crooks.
France 18th century. Fashion types from the time of the Directory. Stock exchange speculators and crooks. The Merveilleuses and the Incroyables.
The Graecomania. Modes of the Directory and the Consulate.
Women’s fashion of classicism in France at the end of the 18th century. Modes of the Directory and the Consulate (1795-1804).
The fashion masters. Paris in transition from Directoire to Empire.
France. The fashion of the dandies from 1801 to 1805. Paris in transition from Directoire to Empire.
Female costumes and fashion from 1794 to 1800. France 18th century.
The comfortable costume, in which the belt was attached at a normal height, was soon followed by the close-fitting dress, the robe collante
Royal and Republican Navy uniforms. France 18th century.
The uniforms of the French Navy under the government of Louis XVI and the revolution. 18th century.
Feminine costumes from 1794 – 1800. Directory to Empire.
The figures are all taken from fashion journals. The period includes the last period of the convent, the rule of the board of directors and the beginning of the consulate.