There were many important, transitional years for women’s fashion during the 19thcentury. For example, in a single decade sleeves might transform from slender and straight to enormous gigot or leg o’mutton style sleeves. While skirts which began a decade flowing loose around the legs might end the decade standing several feet wide atop a crinoline. In my previous post on the evolution of 19th century gowns (available HERE), I gave a brief, decade-by-decade visual overview of the ever-changing silhouettes of women’s silk dresses in the 1800s. For the transitional years, however, a single image can never sum up an entire decade. With that in mind, I bring you the first in a series of visual fashion guides to those decades of the 19th century during which women’s fashion underwent the most extreme change.
I begin with the 1820s, a decade which stood between the Regency era (1811-1820) and the Victorian era (1837-1901). This decade is notable in fashion as providing a bridge between the classic, high-waisted Empire styles of the early 19th century and the large…
Source: The 1820s in Fashionable Gowns: A Visual Guide to the Decade
First Night History 
Thanks as always for the kind reblog, Sarah 🙂
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For the well-off fashionable ladies of the day to have such an array of dresses must have relied heavily on the servant girls of the time, who had to wash and iron them, and help the ladies get into them.
Small wonder that gowns became less ornate after the First World War. An interesting look at this area of social history.
I found myself thinking back to the victims of Jack the Ripper, who could be identified by the dresses they had on when they were killed. This was easily done, as each woman had only one dress to her name.
Best wishes, Pete.
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