Marie Antoinette Style

by Sarah Grant (Editor)

Welcome to a pastel-colored world of excess, filled with rustling silks, gravity-defying hairstyles, delicious intrigue, and, of course, bloody revolution Marie The very name conjures up a vibrant pastel-coloued world of excess, filled with satin shoes, rustling silks, gravity-defying hairstyles, decadent macarons, delicious intrigue, and then, of course, bloody revolution.This groundbreaking volume first reconstructs the life and style of the captivating-yet-tragic Marie Antoinette―married at 14, queen at 18, and beheaded at 37―from the intimate apartments she lived in to the scent she wore, the trends she led, and the complexities of French court life. The authors draw on contemporary accounts, interiors, letters, portraits, and the tantalizingly few personal possessions that her shoes and fans, and fragments of cloth from her dresses.But Marie Antoinette has remained influential long beyond her death in 1793. The book uncovers how the ill-fated queen of France has provided a constant source of inspiration to the worlds of design, fashion, film, and decorative arts, from 19th-century fancy dress balls, to art deco illustration, to the couture of John Galliano for Dior and the sumptuous movie by Sofia Coppola. It considers afresh the legacy of a complex and misunderstood figure whose style, youth, and notoriety have contributed to her timeless appeal.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Fashion, Art, Fashion History

304 pages, Hardcover

Published November 4, 2025

Reviews

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It's interesting and has some great photographs. I like the layers that are in the book. It talks about her personal style but also how she has inspired generations since her time. I mean, we all love the Rococo style, right?

[ThatBookish_deviant · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

[Aya · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent companion to the V&A exhibition, so excited to see it now after I have finished the book. Stunning visuals and in-depth exploration of Marie Antoinettes history, myth and meaning throughout changing times. Recommended to anyone, especially if you are new to MA and want an overview of her life.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, great. Now I gotta go visit Versailles again. Definitely have to watch Coppola’s movie and compare it to Van Dyke’s version! The costumes! The drama! Thank you, Sheila, for gifting me this GORGEOUS book! Loved every word, every image, every footnote. Sad I couldn’t go to the actual exhibition. Quel dommage.

[Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love that in the 1780s, people from all over paris would visit versailles just to see marie antoinette’s wardrobe, and now, 240 years later, people from all over the world are coming to the v&a to do the exact same thing. i hope, wherever she is, she knows just how vast her influence over the fashion world is, and that she’s seen all the people who have been inspired by her everlasting style. vive la reine !

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The companion book to the V&A exhibit on Marie Antoinette, with a stronger focus on the queen's life over her impact on culture and fashion. Part one includes detailed essays on different aspects of life at Versailles while part two is mostly puff pieces - short essays that do not much display why and how Marie Antoinette has remained such a lasting figure. The draw here is mostly the pictures, though I would have liked to see more from the second half. There is also something weird about family details - every mention of Louis XVI's aunts describes them incorrectly - not something that will stand out to the average reader, but an odd note for a book that does include notes and a bibliography.

[Susan Mangia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous book. Quality paper. Beautiful photos. All about Marie Antoinette’s influence, then and now, on fashion, jewelry, home decor, hair and accessories.; art, movies and even music. She is a timeless icon.

[lostgirlinwonderland · Rating 5 out of 5]

So interesting and inspiring!

[Servabo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Her monogram and embroided dress... how lavish ( ´;ﾟ;∀;ﾟ;)

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous book and well worth the investment if you couldn’t make it to the V&A show in London which I would have loved to have seen.