1807 October Drawing Room Full Dresses In Empire Style, English. Blue overdress over trained gown. White dress with train and feathered headdress. Fashion Plate via Lady’s Monthly Museum, London, UK.

Definition Empire Style Dress: High-waisted white gown defined women’s fashion during the Regency Era. ‘Empire’ is the name given to the period when Napoleon Bonaparte built his French Empire. High-waisted, loose gowns were adopted by the aristocracy as a symbol of turning away from the fussy, elaborate and expensive clothing worn in the 1700s.