Women’s gowns during the Regency era were defined by their high waistlines, in which the bodice ended just under or at the bust. While other parts of the Regency dress varied throughout the 1800s to the 1830s in response to weather, modesty, or minor trends, the high waistline remained a steady characteristic. Another common feature, though not as consistent, was the era’s use of lightweight muslin and cotton fabrics. Fashions were supposedly based upon the classical dress of ancient Greece and Rome, and white or pale colors in imitation of garments depicted by white marble statuary were the most popular choices. Dresses were otherwise characterized by their low necklines, which could be v-shaped or square; fitted sleeves that gradually grew in volume at the shoulders; and tubular-shaped skirts that became more triangular.
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