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I’m going to let you in on a little secret that you may not have known about me: I am secretly obsessed with the Country of France, and everything about  it. I was trying to find a way to tie this passion into one of my other passions which you are all so aware of, Halloween. So, I sat around for a good ten minutes before I realized what I could do: Revolutionary French Halloween costumes! I don’t know why it took me 10 minutes to come up with it…I must have forgotten my pills that morning.

Here’s the funny thing about the French Revolution. After all that happened in it, the only thing that people (or at least Americans) seem to remember is Marie Antoinette and her infamous phrase “Let them eat cake!” Well, let me let you in on a secret: there is no proof that Marie Antoinette ever uttered this phrase. I know, I know, I just shattered your whole universe, but there is no proof that she ever said that. Well, anyway, she is a popular figurehead and so are her clothes.
The mantua dress is to Marie Antoinette as Marie Antoinette is to the French Revolution. Every courtly woman at the time wore a mantua, yet when an image of one is shown, the only association most people are able to make in their brain is “Marie Antoinette”. That’s okay, because is there really much that needs to be known about the mantua anyway? Not really.
The only thing that needs to be known about the mantua is that it makes a great Halloween costume! At one time, it used to be really popular but lately, with all the talk of vampires and Katniss Everdeen, Marie Antoinette has fallen by the wayside. However, Marie and her mantua are always an excellent costume idea for your next Halloween party.

Mantuas, otherwise known as Marie Antoinette dresses, can be found in most costume stores, and even most department stores. The next essential thing to have is the powdered wig, though historically, women did not wear powdered wigs. That was left to the men. But to Americans, the outfit is not complete without the wig. Don’t forget the white make-up and bright red lipstick and pearls look very elegant strung across the throat.

If you want your man to join you in the French Revolutionary garb, stick him in a pair of knee highs and knickers with a kerchief and a powdered wig and you will be all set to impress as an 18th century Marie Antoinette. Plus, you can “wow” everyone with the fact that you know that it’s not a Marie Antoinette dress; it’s called a mantua.

And make sure to blurt out the famous-but-never-actually-uttered phrase, “Let them eat cake!”

Emma Rae Curtis is a costume/dressing up/makeup & accessories expert. She mainly writes about Halloween but also about all things costume and dress-up related.