1807 White High-Waisted Dress, French. Black zig-zag edging and decoration, lemon draping shawl, long gloves, orange Fichu, yellow slippers, pink bonnet. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.

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.