Bridgerton Fashion Rules and Etiquette
Spring! It's that time again. Time when you never know how many layers to wear, we inexplicably cannot wear white, resolutions are hanging on by their fingertips, and if you're like me, you're rewatching all the seasons of Bridgerton to prepare for a new season with Benedict's love story.
One of my favorite things about Bridgerton is, of course, the fashion.
Check out my amazing feather fan. Inspired by (but not period correct for) Bridgerton.
One thing that strikes me in particular is all the fashion rules both genders must follow. Thankfully, we've moved away from the rigidity of the 18th-century English Court. Not so thankfully, we've also moved away from its grandeur and extravagance.
In this blog post, I thought it would be fun to do a two-part series.
In this first part, we'll discuss some of the fashion rules we see in Bridgerton and any non-show, but real rules from that period.
In the second part, we'll discuss Western (the western world, not country western) fashion "rules" we still follow (i.e., no white after Labor Day) and how they came to be.
Let's get started!
Bridgerton and Regency:
Bridgerton Season One takes place during the 1800s, specifically 1813 and 1826. The show follows the fictional Queen of England, her court, and title-holding families of the Ton in Mayfair, London.
This period is referred to as the Regency era, because King George the 4th was standing in as a Regent (a person appointed to administer a country because the monarch is a minor, absent, or incapacitated) for his mentally ill father, King George the 3rd.
Bridgerton cleverly shows how Queen Charlotte would most likely have taken regency for her young son in King George's absence. Contrary to most nobility dramas, Bridgerton doesn't portray "Georgie" as though he wants to take the crown and responsibility. He seems perfectly happy to let Mom rule. Having a teenage son of my own, I can imagine that this is a much more likely scenario.
Rules Upon Rules
Watching Bridgerton, one can't help but notice that there are rules for pretty much everything, but most clearly in dress and etiquette.
So, what were some of the fashion rules the Bridgerton gang and other members of the Ton had to follow?
Fashion Rules - Stages of Dress
Well, to start, there were different "stages of dress" that both women and men had to follow.
They don't dive into this too much in Bridgerton, but if you pay attention, you'll notice the characters move through different types of outfits given the time of day and occasion.
1. Undress: This is basically like house clothes of the time. Think of "you're in a state of undress". This would generally consist of a dress that covered one's arms and chest, usually worn with a fichu (a shawl)
Like this but with a shawl.
2. Half Dress: which is like today's business casual, somewhere between the full dress of the evening outfits and the simplicity/comfort of undress. This usually included a bonnet (which is NOT seen in Bridgerton, I'm sure bonnets, while historically accurate, would be a bitch to film around.).
3. Full Dress: which was formal wear. I.E., what is worn to balls, the opera, and the symphony. This was considered "formal dress", and these gowns were generally allowed to be a little more revealing.
Other forms of Dress - Based on Occasion
Walking Dress: This consisted of a short or long-sleeved dress that covered the chest with a somewhat higher hem than undress. Generally, a walking dress would be worn with a coordinating pelisse (a long, front-fastening coat with long sleeves and the high waist of fashionable gowns - see Eloise below (not in yellow)) or with a spencer (a short jacket often with long sleeves and a high neckline).
Promenade Dress: You'll remember the term "promenade" from Bridgerton. Promenade literally means a leisurely walk or ride, in a public place for pleasure or display. Promenade dress, therefore, is not surprisingly, a fashion for when one would have been on display. These gowns were generally a little nicer and fancier than walking dress.
If a lady was going to be riding a horse (side saddle of course, except Daphne & Kate Sharma cause they bosses.) she would have required a Riding Habit. A riding habit would have been made of hearty materials (like wool) and was generally a long coat, cut a bit longer on one side (for the side saddling). This was generally worn with a hat or bonnet with a veil (so demure).
Formal Dress:
Featuring Evening Gowns, Ball Gowns, and Court Dress! Oh, My!
Evening Gown: An evening gown would have been a low-cut, long or short-sleeved dress, lavishly trimmed and constructed from premium fabrics such as satin, gauze, and crepe.
Ball Gowns: These would have been ornate, elegant, and ornately trimmed dresses fashioned from the finest quality fabrics. White and other soft colors were preferred for those "coming out" or debuting into society. Those not debuting were allowed to wear more vibrant colors such as reds, greens, or yellows. Ball gowns often featured embroidery and/or beadwork with additional embellishments such as flowers and/or gems. Ball gowns were often coordinated with headdresses and crowns for the more affluent.
They also had Court Dress, dresses which were the more ornate and "opulent" that would be worn at court or when being presented to society. We see this frequently in the Bridgerton series. These are gowns lavishly trimmed, with trains, hoops, and headdresses featuring ostrich feathers. Etiquette dictated that between 3 and 8 ostrich feathers were considered appropriate. Generally, court dresses for Debutantes were white to represent the chasteness of the debutantes.
Men also had Court dress, although it primarily consisted of velvet coats and breeches featuring embroidery and worn with buckled shoes.
Layers upon Layers:
You've probably noticed in some of the sex scenes in Bridgerton that there is a lot of fondling with layers of clothing.
Women of the Regency Era had a lot of layers.
On the bottom, they wore a chemise/shift, which was a simple garment of white linen. You see this on Daphne several times, as well as Penelope and Kate later on. Chemises were meant to be short and worn at all times under clothing. Interestingly enough, this acted like a modern-day slip and helped keep body oils and dirt off of nice gowns.
Over the chemise comes the corset/stay. This is what helps make Mama Bridgerton's breasts defy gravity! This was most of the point of a corset, though I'm sure good posture didn't hurt.
In a lot of the articles I read for this blog, they used the terms "corset" and "stays" interchangeably. After some additional research, it seems that they're not exactly the same.
Stay was the original term used for "structuring garments" up until the 18th century. This was a stiff "fully boned" garment that created an inverted triangle (on the left below).
Around the end of the 1800s, we started to see the term "corset" appear, which differed somewhat from its predecessor in that it was less heavily boned. "The word corset comes from the old French word 'cors', meaning body," indicating that it was meant to accentuate the natural body shape.
This is a fascinating article that discusses stays vs corsets and shows more how they're different.
In Bridgerton, we see corsets, a clothing device that can be tightened using laces at the back to create an hourglass form and the empire silhouette by bringing the breasts to armpit level.
Next, Regency Era Ladies would add petticoats. A petticoat is a poofy skirt-like thing that goes under your top layer to give your dress/skirt volume. Prior to the Regency period, ladies would wear any number of petticoats under a gown, but given the shape of Regency Empire gowns, the trend became more like 1-5 layers.
Next, a Regency lady of title would add stockings, sometimes held by garters.
Some women took it step further and wore "panniers". A pannier was a cage-like apparatus made of whalebones (Yes, Whalebones, Brother.) that rested on one's hips, providing a structure for the heavier gowns of the 1700s.
By the mid-17th century, panniers had become much smaller as the voluptuous gowns of the 1700's all but disappeared in favor of smaller Empire-waisted gowns. The primary exception was in Royalty, which you see with Bridgerton's Queen Charlotte character, who still favored the huge gowns and Gregorian wigs.
A smaller pannier, more representative of the Regency era size. Buy it here.
Some ladies also chose to wear drawers, for additional modesty/coverage, which you can see in the photo above and below. Though it's important to note, this did not become common practice until the 1850s with the invention of caged/hooped skirts.
Finally, for full dress only, women would add a chemisette, which was a "high collar dickey" (collared bib-like thing)"worn to accent the dress". It buttoned or tied in the back of the neck and had a drawstring tie just below the bust."
Then they would add the gown, gloves, jewelry, and accessories!
Dropping of Ze Hem
"Lady Bridgerton. Miss Eloise. I understand we are here on the matter of dropping our hems?".
This one line sent me down a rabbit hole!
Episode 6 of Season 1, Mama Bridgerton brings it up to Eloise, and later they visit Madam Delecoix's shop to do just that. I assumed, given the context, this was some kind of etiquette or rule.
If you notice throughout the show (and above), it seems like Hyacinth Bridgerton (far left) has higher hems than Eloise (far right), and Eloise had higher hems than Daphne (not pictured) or her sis-in-law Kate (center). It seems as though, as a lady ages, she lowers her hems.
This makes sense, practicality would dictate that hems would be higher for younger girls who would still be running around, as children do. So this stands up, logically. The problem is that I can't find anything about it being an actual "rule of etiquette". Many different pamphlets and readings were published at that time on etiquette and what young ladies needed to do to behave properly. I've scoured the internet, taken an online Regency fashion course, and even resorted to asking Chat GPT, and haven't been able to find a written rule of such.
I've determined that while there wasn't a formalized or ceremonial tradition of lowering hems upon a young lady's entry into society, it was definitely a cultural trend that pretty much had to do with practicality. Younger ladies had higher dresses to accommodate play, while Ladies of the Ton had longer dresses mimicking the Empire silhouette fashion of the time.
General Dress Code Rules:
Some general dress code rules that applied to individuals of Title:
For women, daytime dresses should cover one's ankles (which is why ladies who had come out must lower their hems). While evening gowns should have a higher hem. Formal events require full-length gowns for women and tail coats for men.
Going out in public required accessories like gloves, fans, and parasols for both men and women.
Regarding Balls, some interesting rules for men included no "whole or half boots or with sticks or canes". Also, apparently pantaloons were a no-go as well.
Married women, widows, and spinsters would wear caps or lace, or muslin indoors.
Some additional rules related to clothing:
- Avoid revealing "too much flesh."
- Avoid going out underdressed in cold weather.
- Wear a fichu or shawl at home but not in public.
- Wear a bonnet when going out.
- Wear large plumes in your headdress.
- Carry a reticule, a small drawstring bag for your gloves and fan.
- "Full mourning dress was worn for an appropriate period, which varied depending on the mourner's relationship to the deceased."
- A person did not go into society while in full mourning. Half mourning (usually grey or lilac) could be worn after an acceptable period of mourning had been observed, and the mourner could choose to attend social functions but not fully participate in them."
- Women should wear a bonnet when they're outdoors (before evening time, when updos were allowed)
- Women should only remove their gloves (while out) to eat, and then must put them back on.
- Gloves were required at all formal occasions (including Balls) for women and were always worn outside by both men and women.
- Long gloves for formal dinners and balls were required (white).
- Gauntlet gloves were required for riding and winter.
- Short Gloves (palm length) were required for everything else.
- Dressing for Dinner was expected.
Other Fascinating Fashion Traditions of Regency England:
You probably remember hearing the term "Trousseau" being tossed about a bit in Bridgerton. Trousseau is an (old) French word that describes the personal possessions a bride brings into her marriage. It usually consists of clothing, accessories, and household items.
You may remember the Bridgertons talking about needing to go to the Modiste for their wedding Trousseaus. Based on context, my guess is this also includes some sexy pieces equivalent to today's lingerie.
Mama Bridgerton tells Madame Delacroix "She will need a new pelisse too, and then the more intimate items. Four nightdresses, perhaps? Or five?" When Daphne protests, "What could I possibly need with five new nightdresses?" Madam Delacroix responds, "They are not for you, ma chère, but for your amoureux. What else do you think a honeymoon is for?" Which makes me think, def lingerie.
Let's Talk about Tussie Mussies AKA "Nosegays" (hilarious):
I have to give credit where it's due... I did not actually notice this on my own, but saw it on a Facebook Reel by Gabi's Vintage and had to go back and rewatch Bridgerton (season 3 specifically) to see the use of these devices. Upon further review, yep, there they are.
But what are they? Well, Tussy refers to "Nosegays," which were a bouquet of small flowers (generally Posies) that could be held or pinned to one's clothing. Mussy refers to moist moss that would be kept wrapped around the stem of the little bouquet to keep it moist and the flowers from wilting.
The Tussie-Mussie was then inserted into a Posey Holder, as seen above and below, that could then be pinned to one's outfit.
The use case here is pretty clear; Tussie Mussies became popular during the Medieval times, before industrialized plumbing and deodorant (invented in 1888), and I'm betting a lot of events or walks were pretty smelly. I'm assuming they also just looked nice and thus became a fashionable trend.
It's been suggested that the flowers selected for the bouquet were actually used to send secret messages to others (such as "Yes", "My love is pure", "I cannot"). This is called floriography.
Red roses meant true love, Dahlias = commitment, red Tulips meant one was declaring one's love, while pink Tulips indicated it was just a passing fancy. Apparently, there were books on the topic, and it was well known that different flowers had different meanings. This seems to be something that came into popularity during the Victorian Era from 1837 - 1901.
Bridgerton takes place between 1813 and 1826, so there probably would have been some overlap with the more fashionable individuals/trendsetters wearing them.
In Bridgerton, we only see these on the gentlemen, but apparently, women also used these and would often put flowers given to them by courting gentlemen in them.
Not on Bridgerton, but still interesting! Regency Era Breeching Ceremonies:
This is not something we see in the hit series Bridgerton, but it is fascinating and highlights the important role of fashion in Regency culture.
A Breeching Ceremony was something that started in the 16th century in the United Kingdom and lasted until about the 1900s. Before a Breeching Ceremony, all children, whether male or female, wore the same type of ankle-length gowns or dresses with "leading strings" attached for parents to help children learn to walk...or most likely to grab kids and keep them from running off.
Between 4 and 8 years of age, the exact age depending on the parents, the family's financial status, and the need for labor, young boys would have a Breeching Ceremony.
During this ceremony, the boy would be presented with their first pair of breeches, at which point they "became a man". Breeches were an article of clothing covering the waist down with separate coverings for each leg, usually stopping just below the knee...so.....basically male capris.
Beginning around 1780, breeches would be cast aside for something called a Skeleton Suit. A Skeleton Suit, so called because it fit so close to the body, consisted of a jacket with rows of ornamental buttons, and ankle-length "sailor style" trousers buttoned over the jacket and around the waist, with an open neck blouse.
Aside from just being an awesome party, this was a momentous occasion in boys' lives that marked the movement between boyhood to manhood. As women well know, pants bring with them certain liberties. Like the ability to be rambunctious and to do "man activities" (ew patriarchy).
It was at this time that little boys started being educated (if from a wealthy or titled family) or taught the family trade (if from trade families). This ceremony marked when boys moved from the Domestic Sphere of their mother and entered the "World of Men" of their father. Education and discipline became completely the domain of the father and the other men of the family. It basically marked a period where fathers became more interested and active in their sons' lives and growth. Especially if that son was the eldest and heir (in title-holding families).
In fact, a couple of articles I read actually suggested that due to high infant mortality rates, fathers rarely involved themselves with children before Breeching. During the Regency Era, nearly 25% of children died before the age of ten. Breeching Ceremonies, therefore, became a milestone that indicated that a boy, and potential heir, had survived the most perilous years of childhood and was now "worthy" of rearing.
Conclusion!
So now we've got a decent understanding of the different rules and etiquette that dominated fashion in England during the Regency Era. And that's all just regarding how people should dress!
They really loved their rules of etiquette in Regency England, and as is made painfully clear in Bridgerton, these rules of etiquette are more than just standards; they determine one's reputation, status, and thus one's marriageability. So there were real ramifications of not following these standards and being considered part of "polite society".
Now that we've looked at some of the etiquette and trends of Regency England, we'll use the next post to look at some of the weird fashion rules we live by today and historically in the US!
What did you find the most interesting? Leave a comment!
Definitions:
- Pelisse: Earlier usage of ‘pelisse’ from the 18th century referred to a sort of cloak. Think robe or housecoat. Later on, Pelisse comes to mean "a long, front-fastening coat with long sleeves and the high waist of fashionable gowns."
- Modiste: A woman who made her name as a designer dressmaker for Regency England. Here's a fascinating article on the amazing and sometimes tragic lives of Modistes.
- Fichu: A small triangular shawl, worn around a woman's shoulders and neck.
- Bonnet: A fashionable head covering for women that came in many different sizes and styles.
- Gauntlet gloves: A popular style of glove at the time for riding and winter wear.
- Trousseau: A collection of a bride's clothing, linen, and personal items that a woman intends to take with her and that will prepare her for her married life.
- Regency Era: The time in which the hit show Bridgerton is set. The period when the Prince of Wales (later George IV) served as Prince Regent from 1811 to 1820, while his father, King George III, was incapacitated
- Court: The formal gathering of the elite, usually Royalty and the title-holding members of the Ton.
- The Ton: Refers both to the upper echelons of British high society, wealthy, influential families with titles, and to the actual location of Grosvenor Square in Mayfair (where Bridgerton is supposed to take place)
- Stages of Dress: Different levels of formality in dress codes.
- Spencers: A short jacket often with long sleeves and a high neckline.
- Promenade: A leisurely walk or ride, in a public place for pleasure or display.
- Riding habit: A piece of clothing worn by women for horseback riding, particularly for sidesaddle riding. This usually included a tailored long jacket (sometimes longer on one side), a long skirt, and a hat.
- Debutante: An upper-class young woman making her first appearance in fashionable society. Coming out into society, marked by being debuted to the Queen, indicated that lady was eligible for marriage.
- Etiquette: A code of polite, customary behaviors in society or among members of a particular profession or group.
- Chasteness: A state of being pure and virtuous, especially in terms of sexual conduct or intercourse.
- Chemise/shift: A simple garment of white linen meant to be worn at all times by ladies.
- Corset: A tightly fitting undergarment, traditionally laced up in the back, that was used to shape a woman's figure.
- Stay: The original term used for "structuring garments" up until the 18th century. This was a stiff "fully boned" garment that created an inverted triangle (on the left below).
- Petticoat: A separate skirt worn underneath a gown or dress.
- Panniers: A cage-like apparatus made of whalebones that rested on one's hips, providing a structure for gowns.
- Empire-waisted gowns: A style in 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. Greek and roman influence.
- Drawers: Ladies underclothing that consisted of two legs tied together at the waist and open around the middle.
- Chemisette: A collared bib-like clothing item that was worn under a dress to accent it. It buttoned or tied in the back of the neck and had a drawstring tie just below the bust.
- Hems: An edge that is folded over and stitched down to prevent threads from coming loose. The hem of a skirt or dress is the bottom edge
- Parasol: A light umbrella used to give shade from the sun.
- Pantaloons: A longer fitting pants for men that were slim fitting and ended at the ankle.
- Spinster: An unmarried woman, usually beyond the usual age for marriage.
- Plume: Feather (usually ostrich in this context)
- Reticule: a small drawstring bag for women.
- Breeches: An article of clothing covering the waist down with separate coverings for each leg, usually stopping just below the knee. Usually for men as evening wear or to court.
- Skeleton Suit: Boys clothing that fit close to the body and consisted of a jacket with rows of ornamental buttons, and ankle-length "sailor style" trousers buttoned over the jacket, around the waist, with an open neck blouse.
- Regent: A person appointed to administer a country because the monarch is a minor or is absent or incapacitated.
Sources:
https://ornc.org/whats-on/bridgerton-late-the-regency-period/
https://sharonlathanauthor.com/regency-fashion-for-children-skeleton-suits/
https://beatriceknight.com/regency-modistes/
https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/pelisse/
https://scrapsfromtheloft.com/tv-series/bridgerton-s01e05-the-duke-and-i-transcript/
https://janeausten.co.uk/blogs/fashion-for-children/breeching-ceremony-young-boy-rite-passage?srsltid=AfmBOoqc7BjUn8aYl9v3AHEQVj4x4jkj1QbTZr1stwwSEpiBY8gQtm7-
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/breeching-party-first-pants-regency-trousers-boys
https://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com/2014/11/philosophy-and-childrens-clothing-pt-2.html
https://regencyredingote.wordpress.com/2012/08/31/boy-to-man-the-breeching-ceremony/
Study.com > Course > Regency Era Fashion Clothing, Shoes, and Hair
https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/feature/regency-etiquette
http://www.regencyfashion.nl/en/regency-costumes/spencer-pelisse/
https://www.susannedietze.com/dressing-the-regency-lady.html
https://austenised.blogspot.com/2011/05/rules-and-etiquette-of-regency-society.html
https://janeausten.co.uk/blogs/womens-regency-fashion-articles/gloves
https://scrapsfromtheloft.com/tv-series/bridgerton-s01e06-swish-transcript/
https://www.hrp.org.uk/kew-palace/history-and-stories/queen-charlotte/#gs.l8suyo
https://ateliernostalgia.wordpress.com/2016/05/23/historical-accuracy-regency/
https://ateliernostalgia.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/simple-regency-petticoat-pattern/
https://candicehern.com/regencyworld/half-dress-overview/
https://discover.hubpages.com/entertainment/Daphne-Bridgerton-Top-Costumes
Super informative and well written. Worth the read if you're even kinda into regency era fashion. Looking forward to part 2!
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