I was searching for an explanation of “fichu” (it’s a triangular scarf worn around the neck to cover up a low-cut bodice), a word I came across while reading War and Peace, and found a link describing something called Victim’s Balls, which were uber-exclusive parties in the late 18th century that you could only be invited to if you could prove that one of your relatives or spouse had been killed at the guillotine. People were so desperate to snag an invite that some people would even forge documentation showing that they had the appropriate cred.
Along with this, of course, went fashion trends created especially for the parties: Hair cut high off the neck, the way it would be scissored just before heading to the guillotine so that it wouldn’t interfere with the blade - a short, choppy cut also meant to imitate the condemned person’s hair. (This is the original messy look of “bed head.”) Known as “cheveaux a la titus” or “a la victime.” Red ribbons were also worn around the neck for obvious symbolic effect.
