Italwars, you are most likely correct, I know so little of the period that I assumed 1730's attire might carry into the revolutionary era with little change.
Happy to be corrected and learn.
Cheers
Ry
Really no to claim to correct you..far from that....the problem was that maybe we experiment the same contrasting feels..we both love the stance and look of those figures in capes and 16-early 18c. tricornes but the historical accuracy could not coincide with our tastes...what to do?...probably my thick headed mind's approach it's not the best one to deal with this game.. if i risk to avoid painting those lovely minis that i purchased with the same intentions you did which was the possible depiction of those castings as iconic French Revolution's gentilshommes maybe i'm loosing a fun opportunity

..what to do?

A small research from French sources i made recently confirmed my first toughts:
the classical "tricorne" was still in use toward the middle/end of the century..but even if sported in this painting by Voltaire it was in 1773..and, as said guys, we are talking about the great man Voltaire..the top philosophe not a time whaster gentilshomme or "incroyable" gaga

...then we have a tendency toward a tricorn that is becoming a bicorne..the central point becoming smaller..with the beginning of our period 1789-1791 the tricorne or maybe bicorne is now very fashionable among he "incroyables" of Paris and also referred as "coiffe à oreilles de chien" dog's ears shaped hat"...which is also the very one that this "nice and peaceful " gentleman named Robespierre is holding under his arm