Robe a la Polonaise

In the 18th century Poland influenced France in the fashion of ladies' dresses. The style of dress was appropriately called, "Robe a la Polonaise." The period from about 1772 to about 1785 is usually given, but researchers have found examples as early as 1767. While it was an informal style, it was very popular for its time. Approximately 50% of the fashion plates in the "Gallerie des Modes" display the polonaise as compared to other leading styles which were displayed only 10% of the time. The dress was worn across the social spectrum but was more popular with the younger ladies. It was so well liked that it became fashionable to wear it to informal court balls both in France and England. How did it come into being? It probably originated when middle-class ladies had to lift their skirts over a puddle. The style is sometimes ascribed to the Polish husars, a cavalry influenced by Serbian or Hungarian horsemen or by the furs and rich fabrics of Tatar dress. Sometimes, mistakenly, it is associated with the Polish partitions. In modern times this style can be seen in films dealing with the history of the period.