Complete history of Empire line silhouette

2. Empire silhouette
What is Empire silhouette
Empire silhouette, Empire
line, Empire waist or just Empire is
a style in women's clothing in which
the dress has a fitted bodice ending
just below the bust, giving a high-
waisted appearance, and a
gathered skirt which is long and
loosely fitting but skims the body
rather than being supported by
voluminous petticoats.
The outline is especially flattering
to pear shapes wishing to disguise
the stomach area or emphasize the
bust. The shape of the dress also
helps to lengthen the body's
appearance.

3. The first examples of
the silhouette were seen
in early Greco-Roman
art where women wore
loose fitting rectangular
tunics called peplos or a
chiton and were belted
under the bust.
The style began as part
of Neoclassical fashion,
reviving styles from Greco-
Roman art which showed
women wearing loose fitting
rectangular tunics known
as peplos or the more
common chiton which were
belted under the bust,
providing support for women
and a cool, comfortable outfit
suitable for the warm climate.

4. . It should be noted that the styles of this
period, when referring specifically to
English or American fashions or
examples, may be termed "Regency"
(referring to the Regency of the Prince of
Wales, 1811-1820) or "Federal"
(referring to the decades immediately
following the American Revolution).
In its broadest sense as a term in contemporary fashion,
"empire style" refers to a woman's dress silhouette in which
the waistline is considerably raised above the natural level,
and the skirt is usually slim and columnar. The reference
is to fashions of France's First Empire, which in
political terms lasted from 1804 when Napoleon
Bonaparte crowned himself Emperor, to his
final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815
Origin

5. Regency style also includes fashions
worn in France during the period when
Napoleon Bonaparte was the Emperor.
In 1804, Napoleon hoped that France
would become a fashion leader. He
halted the import of British textiles,
revived French lace making, and forbade
women to appear at court in the same
dress more than twice. Napoleon's wife,
the Empress Josephine was a fashion
icon, a trend setter of the day. To make
women buy more material he forbade
them to wear the same dress more than
once to court(Regency fashion 1800’s
costume History
Regency era

6. EMPIRE SILHOUETTE
CHARACTERISTICS
Waistline:
The prevalent silhouette is
most notable for its very high
waistline, which only changed
slightly throughout the period,
Ranged from couple of inches
below the bust, to just below
the bust, or even, especially if
one was large busted, slightly
on the bust itself
The exact placement of the
waistline depended on the
prevailing fashion of the m a
season.

7. Necklines were open
the exact shape varying as
fashion dictated
The bodice most often had a
back opening with drawstring
ties at the waist and neckline, a
bib-style front opening with
attached under bodice or a V
neck in front.
NECKLINE & BODICE:

8. SLEEVES: Sleeves can be short and slightly puffed
elbow length or long (short puff over a sheer long sleeve
for example).
SKIRT: The skirt is generally flat or slightly gathered in the
front, slightly flared, with rectangular gathered panels at the
center back
The hem length varied throughout the period and there
were no trains on dancing dresses.

9. White was very popular,
inspired by ancient
Grecian modes, in cotton,
linen or silk
White on white
embroidery was
fashionable
Light sheer overdresses in
colorfully embroidered
net or fine sheer silk, over
satin, in contrasting colors
was also fashionable
Trim could be seen at the
hemline, neck, waist,
sleeves and down the
front of the dress
COLORS & FABRICS:

10. As England and France were at war for
nearly all of this period, English styles
sometimes took their own direction,
showing a fluctuating waistline level and
numerous decorative details borrowed
from peasant or "cottage" styles, historic
references, especially medieval and
"Tudor," and regional references such as
Russian, Polish, German, or Spanish.
Often, contemporary events inspired
fashions, such as the state visit of allies in
the Napoleonic wars; military uniforms
also inspired trim and accessories in
women's fashions during these years.
The Waist in Fashion

11. Several myths persist about the styles of
this period, including the idea that the
style was invented by Josephine
Bonaparte to conceal her pregnancy,
and that ladies of fashion dampened
their petticoats to achieve the clinging-
muslin effects seen in classical statues.
Fashions can rarely be attributed to one
person (although a hundred years
earlier, a pregnancy at the French court
did inspire the invention of a style) and
the most cursory glance at fashions of
the 1780s and 1790s shows a clear
progress of internal change in fashion.
MYTHS

12. The last few years of the 1700's first saw the Empire dress coming
into fashion in Western and Central Europe (and European-
influenced areas).
The style was often worn in white to denote a high social status
(especially in its earlier years); only women solidly belonging to
what in England was known as the "genteel" classes could afford
to wear the pale, easily soiled garments of the era.
TIMELINE
1700
1700

13. •The complete and drastic
contrast between 1790's styles
(especially those of the second
half of the decade) and the
constricting and voluminous
styles of 1770's (with their long,
cylindrical silhouette
above panniers) is probably
partially due to the French
political upheavals after 1789.
English women's styles followed
along the same general trend of
raised waistlines as French
styles, even when the countries
were at war.
•Then in the 1790’s women’s
style began to adopt a silhouette
reminiscent of the Greco
Roman era.
1700s

14. By 1799 the empire line silhouette was
well established and is the line we
associate with dress of the early 1800s.
1700s

15. •1800- The high-waist Empire style gown was a characteristic
feature of the fashion in the 1800s
the Regency period of 1811 to
1820. Dresses often resembled
a full length, thin nightdress,
with a low neckline, or
décolleté.
1800S
This 1813 Ackermann’s Repository gown
shows the military lines and trim becoming
popular during the war.

16. NECKLINES IN 1800’S
1801
square neck, not low cut, angles inward
as it approaches the shoulder. Back is
fairly narrow.
(1800-01)
Wide scoop neck. Chemise showing or
part of the dress.
1812
Wide V Neck
1812
Wide square necklin

17. During the day, women
wore light, plain muslin
dresses, even in winter.
They often wore a pelisse
outdoors, which was a
cross between an over
dress and a light coat
. Dinner dresses were
sometimes of velvet or satin,
while evening gowns were cut
square and low at the bosom
1800s

18. Empire Style in 1800

19. 1900s
The style experienced a revival
in the 1930’s and again in the
1960’s, possibly reflecting the
less strict social mores of the
ear.
was a leading French fashion
designer, a master couturier
during the first two decades of
the 20th century .He also used
empire silhouette in this
designs.

20. 1960s fashion Empire Line Baby Doll
Dresses '60's fashion was as much about
the hair as the clothes!
1960s fashion was unlike any other decade because the clothing was as
revolutionary and fast-moving as the era’s sweeping social, political and
cultural changes.
The empire waistline was adopted by high-fashion designers in the ’60s and
translated into ready-to-wear formal fashions for the everyday woman.
1900s

21. The empire waistline was adopted by high-fashion designers in
the ’60s and translated into ready-to-wear formal fashions for
the everyday woman.
Christian Dior
1962
1960
Samboo ,1963
Designer wear, 1960s

22. It wouldn’t be until the ’70s that the empire waistline gained
ground in casual wear dresses, too.
Empire maxi dress
1970s

23. 1980s

24. Princess Diana ,1980s

25. 1990sDaily wear

26. Designer wear in 1990s
Versace, 1993
Givenchy Couture,1996
Dior, 1998
Dior 1992

27. Titanic movie 1997

28. 2000s
Jean Fares
couture,2008
Marchesa 2007
2002
Gisele in Christian
Dior dress at Oscars 2005

29. Dolce & Gabbana at Milan Fashion
Week Fall 2006

30. Today the style is know best for triangle shaped bodies to help
emphasize the bust and disguise a larger bottom half.
Today the empire waist finds its way into fashion every season.
Modern fashion has welcomed the empire to reign in its casual
summer collections appropriate for casual weekends involving
everything from a beach vacation getaway to a flexible, feminine
look whilst grocery store shopping.
The Empire Waist
Dress Can Be Romantic
The Halter Neck
Empire Waist Dress
Is Ultra-Flattering

31. The Empire Waist is
Flattering at Any Age
Channel Your Inner
Grecian Goddess in a
Flowing Empire Waist
Dress
The Empire Waist Dress
is Perfect For Pregnant
Women