Haute Outerwear Steals the Show in 'Marie Antoinette’s Mid-Season

Welcome to the mid-season report on the best costumes for Marie Antoinette’s second season. Personal and political machinations from just about every character continue to unfold, including the Queen’s public image, marriage, and extra-marital relationship; the fortunes of various publicly loyal but privately threatening courtiers; and of course, the monarchy’s massive secret debt. For this set of three midseason episodes, the standout pieces are all coverings of some kind.

I was very taken with two tailcoats, two capes, and one incredibly louche dressing gown, three styles of garment that can claim to be somewhat democratic when made out of fibers like wool, cotton, or linen, and the height of unattainable luxury when rendered in silk.

Episode 3, “Treacherous Legacy,” dazzled me with two coats worn by the scheming Duc d’Orléans (Oscar Lesage). I love how scheme-rich Marie Antoinette is as a whole; everyone is always working at an angle and is ready to pivot to a new angle the moment it becomes necessary. The men’s tailcoat coats of this era are about knee-length, with stand collars and the illusion of wide lapels formed by embellishments along the button band. The embellishments are often a combination of beading and embroidery and are also featured on pocket flaps and the jacket’s cuffs.