At first dresses made of cotton in 1800 or 1805..

were of the same fashion lines as stiff silks, but gradually with increasing use, the looser, simpler, and plainer style of dress began to evolve.  The simple cotton muslin dresses of the 1780’s had wide sashes.  By 1793, the sash narrowed and the waistline raised up.

(Sketch: 1805 high and thin dress waistlines)