In late 1782 Catherine the Great issued two "fashion" decrees at once, banning French toilettes at court
In late 1782 Catherine the Great issued two "fashion" decrees at once, banning French toilettes at court. The decrees of 23 October and 6 November 1782 limited the width of skirts and the height of the ornaments on gowns, which could no longer exceed two vershoks. Despite its evident jab at the manners of Versailles, this step of Catherine's did not strain relations between Paris and Saint Petersburg; quite the contrary. The will of the Russian empress made an impression on European ladies of fashion, weary of the obligation to over-adorn themselves, which, moreover, demanded no small outlay. And, strange as it may seem, it was precisely at the turn of 1782 and 1783 that Catherine enjoyed her greatest popularity in the court society of France.
