FRIVOLITY AT COURT
Henri III, who reigned as King of Poland-Lithuania from 1573-75, and of France from 1574-89, was an elegant, cultured young man who adored clothes and dressing up.
He demanded the highest standards of dress from his courtiers, expecially the effeminate, frivolous young men in his entourage called Les Mignons (Darlings).
They plucked their eyebrows, powdered their faces, and adopted feminine accessories such as small dogs and muffs.
His mistresses wore the kind of exuberant dress seen in this ball painting.
The flat French farthingale, would-be lovers complained, kept men at a distance, as did huge stuffed sleeves.
The turned-back fronts of gowns revealed white bosoms above sharply pointed bodices supported by whalebone.
Both sexes indulged in luxuries, such as exquisite lace, perfume, and jewelry -- Henri was noted for his pearl earrings.
Henri lighted the austere Spanish influence at the French court.
Men and women wore such vast starched ruffs that people told courtiers they looked like John the Baptist's head on the platter.
From his time as Polish king Henri brought back fuller breeches called Venetians or Polacks, as well as small Polish caps decorated with gems and aigrettes.
Once he galloped through Paris's streets with 30 young men all dressed alike in Italian-inspired pantaloons.
Banquets where men dressed as women and vice versa, or spectacular balls where male clothing outshone female, show Henri III's appetite for fun, novelty, pleasure, and flair -- the essence of fashion.
法国的自由
亨利三世，1573至75年，是波兰立陶宛王国统治者，1574至1589年到法国继位，是一位崇尚穿着与打扮的优雅又有文化的年轻人。
他为他的臣仆建立了最高的服饰标准，特别是他柔弱轻浮的随从，一个叫莱米斯(Darlings)的年轻人。
他们拔眉毛，在脸上扑粉，并采用一些例如小狗，暖手桶之类的女性配饰。
在这幅宫廷画中您能看到他的情妇穿着的那种盛大的礼服。
那种平面的法式裙撑，会受到恋人的抱怨，保持与男性的距离，与巨型填充袖如出一辙。
转过身来的前面，袒露着白色的胸部以及由鱼骨支撑的尖锐形状紧身胸衣。
男性与女性都非常奢侈，例如精美蕾丝，香水以及珠宝，亨利非常珍视他的珍珠耳环。
亨利在法国宫廷点亮了朴素的西班牙人。
男人和女人都穿着如此拘泥呆板的花边领，他们告诉侍者，他们看起来就像顶着一个约翰施洗的大盘子一样。
他从波兰带回更丰满的马裤造型，被称为威尼斯式或者波兰式，同样的还有以宝石与冠毛装饰的小波兰帽子。
当他同30名年轻人一同穿过巴黎街道，他们看起来就像意大利风格的蓬塔罗人。
男士着装如同女士，反之亦然，甚至男士造型更吸引眼球，这显示了亨利三世追求有趣，新奇，快乐和天赋的胃口，同时这也是时尚的精髓。
