… “Little White Dress” of the Regency fashion era, undergarments had to be minimal. (photos: modern model shows left: Regency “chemise” with the empire waistline; right: “inside petticoat”. Shy women wore a full body, knit stocking in white or flesh color, which the model is probably wearing)

…of the Regency fashion era (1790 to 1825 ish) was of un-dyed and unadorned white cotton. The waist rose from where it had been in the previous Georgian/Colonial period at the natural waist line – up, up, up – to just under the bust. This was called “Empire Waistline” in …

…but rather “does this make my bum look BIG ENOUGH?” in the 18th century. (photo: as seen in this servant’s ensemble, in 1790 the fashion goal was to have your breasts spilling out over the bodice, and your “bum” look gargantuan)

…in America which crossed fashion eras on either side of 1790 to 1825. A Regency costume is one of the least expensive we can make you, for the same reasons it was popular back then – there’s only a tiny bit of inexpensive fabric, short stays (corset), and not a …

…invented by Marie Antionette, became the new “Little White Dress”. In the beginning, about 1794, it was made of plain, white, thin muslin (cotton), and a notably high – under the bust – waistline. This was exactly opposite of the politically correct fashion, as it had no structure and few …

…comfortable, inexpensive “Chemise a la Reine” or “Gaulle” style became wildly popular around the world in about 1790. THEN… the imaginations of women took off in a direction never seen before in the history of women’s fashion… (portraits: Marie Antionette bravely painted “en Gaulle”… and an artist’s version as the …

We can do that for you! Email: [email protected] or message here to find out how we can build you an original, custom, unique historical fashion “ensemble”, including wigs, shoes, and anything you need! (re-creating women’s American historical fashions years 1740-1910) (portrait: by Louise Elisabeth Vigee LeBrun in 1782 “Le Gaulle”) …

…by a famous female painter, Le Brun, in her “Chemise a la Reine” (“Queen in Underwear”). She was already unpopular with French women, & this tipped the gossip scales against her. They didn’t like this new “Gaulle” style of dress, because there was no “pomp or monarchy” – YET – …

because she was tired of being “stuffed & trussed” in Court costume.  Marie Antoinette escaped to her “Petit Hameau” (little farm) at Versailles, were she wore her white muslin undergarment called “chemise a la reine” (underwear of the queen). (photos: “Petit Hameau” and Marie Antoinette in about 1790 wearing a …

…because in the late 1770’s women interpreted Marie Antoinette’s court dress, and added a “pastoral” element. They brought sheep into the city, and pretended to be shepherdesses. (photo: 1780’s English “shepherdess” complete with sheep and crook)