I continued my stroll in Josephine’s footsteps at Château de Malmaison with a visit to her garderobe – wardrobe. Here I discovered that the elegant sophistication of her decor, which I shared with you in my post Josephine at Malmaison: Retreat of an Empress, was also mirrored in her personal attire. This exhibit of her clothing was a wonderful example of the French Empire mode of fashion. A style that just so happened to be named after her the reign of her second husband, Napoleon I. French Empire This style was a drastic departure from the stiffly corseted and elaborately adorned fashions of the pre-revolutionary period. Women of means now…

The Christmas season is over now. However, memories of my Parisian Christmas visit still linger. We are currently being blessed with a mild streak of weather and it has transported me back to a similar pleasant, sunny afternoon I spent exploring the retreat of Empress Josephine at Malmaison that Boxing Day. In the Footsteps of Royalty I had made my way from the heart of Paris to its western edge and the suburb of Rueil-Malmaison by Metro and bus. I then strolled along le Chemin Joséphine et Napoléon Bonaparte. Round brass markings bearing the bee emblem of the Emperor guided my way to the regal Château de Malmaison. Cone-shaped topiaries,…