When looking at a picture of a historical dress and you do not know what era it belongs to, simply take a piece of paper and cover up any part of the dress from the hips down. Do not focus on the hairstyle, jewelry, embroidery or even decoration of the skirt itself. Just look at the shoulders, bodice and waist. Is the waistline positioned close to the natural waist, pulled higher up towards the ribcage, pushed lower towards the hips, or is it extremely cinched to create a pointed shape? By simply focusing on these elements, you can quickly narrow down the time period the dress was worn in.
This method works well because the waist placement defines the silhouette of a garment. A high waist will create a shortened torso and draw the eye towards the chest area. Conversely, a low waist will elongate the bodice and change the visual ratio between the torso and skirt. Additionally, stays, corsets, bodices and notions of proportion can manipulate the size or shape of the waist without altering its physical position. It is important to describe what the garment itself looks like when examining it, rather than making assumptions that the waistline aligns with the natural waist.
I find this particularly helpful when distinguishing between similar eras. Certain decorative elements may be repeated throughout history, and some revivals may pull from previous trends by including certain materials, shapes, styles of sleeves or necklines. However, the waistline is harder to overlook since it has such an impact on the overall cut of a garment. If you look at two fashion plates or photographs of garments from different time periods and mentally trace a horizontal line across the waist, you can observe how much fabric is present on either side of the line, where the skirt starts and whether the front bodice terminates in a flat, rounded or pointed edge. All these observations tell us much more than a detail alone.
It is common for beginners to look for a specific year for a garment, which I believe comes from rushing the process. It is best to use the waistline as one tool rather than an end-all answer. Once you have determined where the waist is located, look for the sleeve shape, neckline, shoulder line, skirt fullness and hemline. If these points all point to a specific time period, you will have a more accurate understanding of when the dress was made. If there are inconsistencies, it may indicate a transitional period, unusual dress, a revival style or formal wear such as court attire or evening dress.
The source of the image also influences how you interpret the waist. A fashion plate may exaggerate the fashionable shape of a garment, while portraiture often presents a more flattering view of the body. Archival photos offer yet another perspective, but formal posing in photographs is rarely representative of everyday clothes. While a historic garment may reveal its construction, alterations may have occurred over time. To combat this, taking quick notes on a garment is helpful. Write down what you observe first, such as “high waist, short bodice, narrow sleeves” and include the source of the image before reviewing any provided captions.
When creating a timeline, it is beneficial to keep track of the location of the waistline rather than memorizing individual years. Arrange a few pictures chronologically and follow the intersection of the bodice and skirt or trousers. Observe if the waistline rises, flattens out, lowers, or disappears entirely. Also take note of other elements that change during this transition, such as increased skirt volume, more fitted tailoring or a wider upper body. Noticing these changes provides a way of remembering these transitions rather than having to recall more dates.
In the future, when viewing an unfamiliar historical garment, do not jump straight to looking for decorations. Find the waist first. Where does it rest, how well is it defined and what is the shape of the bodice? Compare this information with the sleeves, shoulders and volume. Even if you cannot determine the exact period, the waistline provides you with a tangible starting point to examine a garment.
