“The silhouette of ball gowns changed drastically from the beginning to the end of the 19th century. The Regency era saw long, straight lines with empire waists, something I will cover in another post. Long, straight skirts would then completely disappear until the 1910s, with enormous emphasis on various areas of the skirt rotating through the rest of the century. The first of these trends would be the large hoop skirts that are commonly associated with the Civil War era.
The basic style of the dresses was exposed shoulders surrounded by some sort of trim, a bustline as low as could be allowed, a tightly fitted bodice, and a wide hoop skirt shaped by a crinoline or multiple petticoats (depending on the year).
While we look at this style of gown today and interpret it as elaborate and even extreme, women were encouraged to err on the side of feminine simplicity, despite the size of the skirt. Beadle’s Dime Book of Practical Etiquette for Ladies and Gentlemen, published in 1859 reads:
“What has elsewhere been said in regard to dress and ornament will apply fully to the occasion of the dance. Let simplicity be the guide, and not display. The lady tricked out of many jewels and ribbons looks too much like a moving advertisement to command respect for it. If ladies generally knew how deep an impression a pure style of dress makes upon the other sex, and realized how trifling a gaudy dress seems to the person of true taste, we surmise their vanity alone would impel to simpler attire, rather than to elaborate and costly display.””
Source: recollections....
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