Empire silhouette / empire line
Also known as: Empire line, Empire dress, High-waist empire cut
Cut line with a seam sitting just below the bust — visually lengthens the legs and skims the belly.
Description
The empire silhouette is characterised by a high-sitting waist seam running directly below the bust, followed by a straight or slightly flared skirt. The cut has its roots in French Directoire and Empire fashion around 1795-1815 and was popularised by Empress Josephine — it recalls ancient Greek-Roman garments.
Empire dresses and tunics are particularly suitable for maternity wear, summery maxi dresses, festive cocktail dresses and bridal receptions. They flatter figures with a pronounced tummy area, emphasise the upper body and lengthen the leg line. Materials range from light cotton, muslin and chiffon to silk and georgette.
- Seam directly under the bust, high waist point
- Skims the belly, emphasises upper body
- Preferred for maternity, summer and cocktail dresses
- Historical origin: Directoire/Empire ca. 1795-1815
Properties
| Waist point | Directly below the bust (high) |
|---|---|
| Silhouette | Flowing, A-line-close, lengthening |
| Fabrics | Cotton, muslin, chiffon, silk, georgette |
| Application | Maternity, summer dresses, cocktail, bridal |
Sources & references
1- Wikipedia: Empire silhouette Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_silhouette
