Abby Connolly
With period pieces like “Bridgerton” becoming bigger and bigger these days, many of us are becoming inspired by the fashion of the Georgian or Regency era.
Scrolling through social media apps like TikTok, you may have seen some fashion influencers sporting looks that reflect these eras, like corset tops, puffy sleeves, and pearl jewelry.
The Georgian era transitioned into the Regency Era in England from the late 1700s to the mid-1800s. When it came to women’s dresses, the empire dress became the essential dress style, with a waistline that sat just under the bust and an A-line skirt at the bottom.
You can see tons of empire waistline dresses portrayed in hit television shows so many of us love, like “Bridgerton,” “Emma,” and “Pride and Prejudice.”
Although back in the 1800s, women were often expected to be modest, dresses made at the time were much more lightweight than they used to be, and more sheer and revealing fabrics like muslin were being used to make them.
This is why these empire gowns we see in film and television are often so flowy and delicate.
Ladies who went to court, where you’d find the wealthiest people in society, were often seen in dresses made from lavishly dyed and printed fabrics. They were often embroidered with gold or silver thread and paired with expensive pieces of jewelry.
When it came to shoes and accessories, women of the late Georgian era began embracing strappy sandals.
When not sporting sandals, women often wore beautiful pairs of heels, although they looked much different from the heels we wear today. Women’s heels during this time period often had very short heels and pointed toes and were made out of silk.
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