From the masculine equestrian outfits that made her Louis XV's favorite, to the regal counterrevolutionary gowns in green and violet that exposed her as an enemy of the state, Marie Antoinette's fashion statements were always unfailingly both fabulous and controversial. In Queen of Fashion, Caroline Weber paints a comprehensive portrait of the fashion icon, from Dauphine until death. Weber is not only a brainy Barnard scholar, but also a fashion connoisseur herself, and her fastidiously researched political fashion memoir satisfied both my inner Vogue subscriber and my inner history nerd. Weber takes her time cataloging the earlier, more playful era of Marie Antoinette’s youthful fashion exploits. But these playful themes take a somber--albeit fascinating-- tone in the latter half of Weber’s book, as she traces the onslaught of political tumult through the headwear of the ladies of Paris. Page after page, Caroline Weber captivated me with arcane facts and insights into the symbolic weight of ladies’ fashions during a period of political upheaval. As a scholar first and fashionista second, she drew me into the political saga of the French Revolution, but always faithfully brought it right back around to fashion and the ways women leveraged their power by what they chose to wear on their bodies. Ultimately, Marie Antionette was the consummate 'Fashion Victim,' and ended her life with "the most brilliant fashion statement of her political career." What was it? You’ll have to read the book to find out!

An excellent, very interesting and highly readable analysis of the significant (and political) role fashion and appearance played in Marie Antoinette's rise and downfall just before and during the French Revolution. Appearance and fashion continue to be important aspects of French society and culture, and Marie Antoinette can certainly claim a central role in this history. A must read for anyone interested in French history/culture and/or the history and political implications of fashion.