Toilette Defined

The word toilette is a diminutive of toile, a small eovering of linen thrown over a dressing table, but it was reserved for the decorators of the reign of Louis XV. to discrimínate between the grand and the little toilette. The latter was a very simple arrangement, indeed - a plain wooden altar with unadorned ■white napery and a looking glass, at which the celebrants were only the lady's maid and the hairdresser. The grand toilette was a much more splendid affair. The table was laden with coffers of jewels, glove boxes, powder boxes, receptacles for paint, patches, pomatum, and soented waters, and finally with the dressing case, the furniture of which. was often of gold or silver, handsomely chased.