Woman wearing headdress and dress featuring extravagent pleating and flouncing. Pleated collars; flounces (falbalas) and ruffs (chicories); have never been more in fashion than today. The art of pressing has been raised to the point of perfection. The elegantes no longer send their linen to Neuilly: the coarse hands of the peasants tear the fabric they launder. The delicate hand of a Parisienne is required for fine linen. It costs 6 sous to launder a dress; and 50 to press it. Handcoloured engraving from Pierre de la Mesangere's Le Bon Genre; Paris; 1817.