Regency woman in a green empire line dress at the window Tapestry by Lee Avison Fine Art America The empire waist reshaped fashion in the early 19th century. It borrowed from classical antiquity and rejected the ridgid styles of the 18th century. While the fashion looked more relaxed, the societal History of the Empire Dress Folkwear 19th Century Empire Dress in Printed or Striped Cotton Townsends The Waist Conundrum American Duchess Blog