Marie Antoinette Informative Speech

Queen Marie Antoinette
A young girl, whose love was used to mend two countries together, stripped of her true self and molded into the ideal, pristine French Woman. Marie Antoinette was by far the most hated queen of France that ever lived. During her reign she was unmercifully associated with scandal, and very often blamed for the revolution. Although she was despised, she held herself on a high pedestal by dressing extravagantly and in ways, used her clothing to make statements about her wealth or political standings. Even through her trial she held her head high and made sure that she was not to be forgotten (Thurman). Everything about Marie Antoinette seemed to be controversial, from the way she dressed, how people viewed her, and how she died.
On an Island, in the Rhine River, was where she had been officially been handed over to the French. Her Austrian wedding clothes were taken from her and everything else down to her underwear was also removed. From then on she was forced to wear French clothes and then, was considered a princess of France (Johnson 1). After her “makeover” she used clothing to express herself. Although to her this was liberating, “Harsh political animosities that beset her… by turning her clothes and other accoutrements into defiant expressions of autonomy and prestige.” (Thurman 7). Marie wasn’t one to be effected by the “media” especially because as much as she was hated she was worshiped by people who followed fashion. Her bathing and dressing ceremonies were extravagant, much like her wardrobe that was open to the public. In current spending her wardrobe allowance per year was around $3.6 million, and some years was doubled. Frenchwomen aspired to dress like her but many despised her for being a corruptive influence