A Brief History of the Empire Waist 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 Empire Waist Historical Dress Women's Regency Era Ball Gown Victorian 1800s Costume Dress With Empire Waist & Pearl Accents Victorian Era Dress For Women Dress American The Metropolitan Museum of Art