During the Regency era, ball gowns had the Empire silhouette, with a high waistline, short sleeves, and a fairly narrow skirt. Widely adopted after the French Revolution… See more

In the Victorian era, skirts began to widen. Layer upon layer of petticoats would provide the desired fullness but were hot and heavy to wear. Undergarment framework… See more

In the Edwardian era, women’s ball gowns followed the distinctive “S-curve” silhouette. Standing out from the crowd at a ball was a challenge even for the most well-heeled. Densely se… See more

During the 1920s, hemlines rose and decorations became more showy. After the horrors of World War One, people wanted to let their hair down. Women found a new sense of lib… See more