Dearest Gentle Reader, this is your opportunity to learn the fashion behind your favourite Netflix series, Bridgerton.
A show you admire and watch with so much passion. However, have you ever wondered why the fashion in this period piece is so unique yet feels surprisingly close to some of the corset and romantic fashion trends we see today?
Welcome to Fashion Lookbook Weekly
The Bridgerton series is set in Regency-era England (approximately 1795–1820), a time when fashion shifted dramatically toward elegance and simplicity.
Women’s clothing embraced the Empire silhouette, characterised by high-waisted gowns that flowed gently down the body. Men’s fashion, on the other hand, focused on structured tailoring and functional elegance.
Regency fashion drew inspiration from Classical Greek and Roman aesthetics, emphasising clean lines, light fabrics, and natural silhouettes.
Women commonly wore lightweight muslin dresses, while men adopted tailored wool coats paired with trousers, gradually moving away from the heavily decorated and extravagant clothing of the 18th century.
Although Bridgerton highlights many of these historical elements, the show itself takes creative liberties. Rather than strictly recreating history, the costume design blends Regency inspiration with modern drama and colour to create a visually captivating world.
In this issue, we take a closer look at what Regency fashion truly represented and why its influence continues to inspire designers today.
Greek and Roman Influence on Regency Fashion
As mentioned earlier, Regency fashion was heavily influenced by ancient Greek and Roman styles. Designers of the time admired classical art and sculpture, which portrayed flowing garments that highlighted natural body shapes rather than restricting them.
For women, this meant dresses made from soft fabrics such as muslin and silk, often with delicate embroidery. Unlike earlier centuries, heavy corsetry was not the defining feature of the era. Instead, the focus shifted to elegance, femininity, and comfort.
Men’s clothing also evolved during this time. Gentlemen wore tailored wool coats, fitted waistcoats, and trousers that created a polished yet understated look. Accessories such as hats, gloves, and walking canes completed the ensemble.
Colour and Status in Bridgerton Fashion
One of the most fascinating aspects of the fashion behind Bridgerton is how colour is used to tell a story.
During the Regency period, clothing colour often reflected social standing, personality, and family identity. The show captures this idea beautifully.
For example, the Bridgerton family is frequently dressed in soft blues and pastel tones. These colours symbolise grace, refinement, wealth, and tradition. Their elegant wardrobe reflects their position within high society.
Other families in the series wear bolder colours and more elaborate designs to reflect their social ambitions or flamboyant personalities. Through costume alone, viewers can often understand a character’s background and motivations.
Key Characteristics of Regency Fashion
To fully understand the fashion behind Bridgerton, it is important to recognise the defining elements of Regency style.
1. Empire Waist Dresses
Women’s gowns featured a high waistline just below the bust, creating a flowing and elongated silhouette.
2. Lightweight Fabrics
Materials such as muslin, silk, and chiffon were commonly used, allowing garments to drape softly.
3. Tailored Menswear
Men wore fitted coats, waistcoats, and trousers that emphasised structure and refinement.
4. Elegant Accessories
Gloves, hats, shawls, and jewellery played an important role in completing an outfit.
5. Soft Colour Palettes
Pastel tones and delicate patterns were widely used among the upper classes.
These elements helped define Regency fashion as one of the most elegant and influential periods in fashion history.
Notable Fashion Figures of the Regency Era
During the Regency Era, clothing was primarily created by dressmakers and seamstresses, tailors, milliners (hat makers), and court dressmakers. These artisans rarely received the kind of public credit modern designers do today.
However, there were a few influential fashion figures and dressmakers who shaped Regency style.
Rose Bertin
Although she worked slightly earlier (late 1700s), her influence extended into the Regency period. She helped establish the idea of fashionable dressmakers influencing aristocratic style across Europe.
Beau Brummell
He was not a designer but arguably the most influential menswear figure of the Regency era. Brummell revolutionised men’s fashion by promoting: Perfect tailoring, immaculate white shirts and cravats, dark, understated coats. His minimalist approach shaped the foundation of modern menswear.
Ann Margaret Lanchester
She was one of the dressmakers serving elite society and members of the British royal household. While little documentation survives, dressmakers like her were responsible for producing the elegant gowns worn by aristocratic women.
Final Thoughts
Watching Bridgerton instantly took me back to a time when I was studying fashion and learning about the Regency era.
Although the series is not a perfectly accurate representation of historical dress, it has undeniably sparked renewed interest in Regency fashion and its cultural significance.
Many viewers have become curious about the clothing styles and designers of that era. Personally, I often imagine what it must have looked like in real time beyond the paintings and illustrations we have today.
Were the garments truly comfortable? Were they worn daily or reserved only for high society?
One thing is certain: fashion never stops evolving. Shows like Bridgerton allow us to see the connections between past and present styles.
They remind us that trends may disappear for a time, but they always return in new and creative ways.
As I often say, fashion never truly dies — it simply comes and goes, waiting to inspire the next generation of designers.