Under Louis XIV, the stocking (or long “sock,” but made of silk!) was not a mere accessory: it was a symbol of nobility and refinement, on par with the wig, the lace jabot, or the red heels. The stockings were made of fine silk, often imported from Italy or from Lyon, the great capital of French silk-making. They were sometimes knitted by hand, sometimes by machine, since the knitting machine (invented by William Lee at the end of the 16th century) had already begun to spread.

They reached above the knee sometimes almost to mid-thigh and were held up by garters decorated with ribbons and bows. The most fashionable even had their stockings embroidered: small patterns, gold threads, lace… Nothing was too beautiful when it came to showing off one’s legs.

The handsome calf! It was a true weapon of seduction. Courtiers, ever attentive to their figures, cultivated that shapely curve as eagerly as ladies cared for their complexions. An elegant gentleman was said to have “a well-turned calf,” and some even padded their stockings with cotton to enhance the shape if their legs were too thin.

Louis XIV himself, a great dancer and admirer of the physical arts, had magnificent legs, which he loved to display in his ballet costumes and court attire: short breeches, ribbons, red heels, and gleaming stockings. His official portraits often show him with one leg forward, as if to emphasize that famous royal calf.

FM