LETTER OF THE MONTH
Style revolution
I loved your feature about the legacy the French Revolution had in Britain (Shockwaves of Revolution, August). I have a degree in fashion journalism, so particularly enjoyed reading about how clothes inspired by the silhouettes worn by the ancient Greeks and Romans made a comeback after the revolution.
However, it’s worth pointing out that this shape of dress is commonly known as the “empire line”, in homage to Napoleon Bonaparte’s first wife, Josephine de Beau- harnais. She popularised this style of straight, neoclassical dress in Paris, and it was named after France’s First Empire, formed shortly after the revolution of 1789. Josephine would usually wear white empire line dresses – again linking to
