Sunday, January 10, 2010

Yay or Nay? Pauline Bonaparte

I certainly would not boast of being able to predict the outcomes of the weekly Nay or Yays. I was sure that María de las Nieves Fourdinier would not appeal to the masses but surprise, she was met with a strong Yay! This week let us rejoin an old friend.


Robert Lefevre paints Marie Pauline Bonaparte (1808) once again, this time without her breast showing, in her white and gray gown. Yay or Nay?

[Versailles]

26 comments:

  1. Yay! However, she may be very slightly over-accessorized. I could do without the bandeau thingy, just the little crown.

    And don't you just love how enormous the Napoleon bust is?!

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  2. A mild yay. It isn't bad, but once again we see why Pauline wasn't a trendsetter. There is nothing particularly interesting or elegant about this assemble, and once again, the bodice treatment is giving poor Pauline serious bust issues. This time she looks like she is blessed with far more than the usual number of mammary glands. Four is not better than two in this case!

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  3. Except the head piece, a mild yay from me.

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  4. I'm being kind so a 'yay' but she's still trying too hard with the classical themed clothes...

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  5. The ugly headband strikes again! The dress is beautiful, but due to her the accessories, I must give Miss Bonaparte a NAY. Honestly, the poor socialite would be on my "wort dressed" list if I wrote for the society pages back in the day!

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  6. I think it's beautiful. But I agree with Polonaise and the rest of the masses, the head band is unnecessary, the small crown/tiara would have been enough. But still a YAY for me. D.S.

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  7. I would say Yay for sure! I love the color of her gown and all of the detailing on it. It is so ethereal and elegant. Yet, I do agree with the others, I am not as fond of her accessories, especially that head piece--that must go!

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  8. A mild 'yay'. At first glance, lovely. Looking closer, I can do without that silly hair thingy, the bosom area looks...odd and honestly, the tablecloth fringe at the hemline is a huge NAY for me. Redoing the bosom area and getting rid of that fringe, it would be a strong 'yay'.

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  9. sadly, a reluctant nay...
    the waist is far too high and leaves a vast expanse of flowing fabric which conceals her figure.
    the lower two-thirds undoes the good work of the upper third.

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  10. Yay! Lovely and very well put together. :)

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  11. It'll have to be a NAY from me. The petticoat and cut is a bit...um...square? And I don't like the headpiece.

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  12. I love the pewtery, chilly tones with the discreet bits of bright golden trimming. A very pleasant yay, but, I'll agree with some others that the headdress is not a winner - or even needed in this ensemble.

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  13. Much better this time! It's a bit busy, but a definate improvement on before.

    yay

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  14. Yay! Yay! Yay! It's an absolutely gorgeous gown!

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  15. YAY! That gown is positively gorgeous!

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  16. For her as a person? Nay.
    For the dress? Definitely a yay.

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  17. Yay, mostly. Though I dislike the Bonapartes and that holds me back from a full-on Yay. Or maybe the problem is the bandeau thing thingy as Polonaise pointed out.

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  18. yay! it is very pretty and I love accessories!

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  19. Love the dress however that comeo with pearls that she wears does not really look good on her but overall is an Yay

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  20. a Yay! Just look at her, looking really proud. Her dress looks like she is a Roman Emperess, lovely and important.

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  21. Yay! A great example of Eempire fashions, containing elements from the old Romans and the renaissance. As Pauline was sort of Italian, she possibly decided to follow the trend for what is was worth. And, being the sister of l'empereur, she would be most "a la mode".
    Anyway, a beautiful ensamble, but I wonder how it looked in real life. I highly doubt the skirt fell like that when she moved.

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  22. I say yay. I could do without the headband..

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  23. It's a yea from me. I don't generally like empire waists, but this one is really quite nice and I really like the sleeves.

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