These were by far some of the prettiest dresses ever made. Whether from the elite of society to the most common of women, the ball gown was a wonderful masterpiece.

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The ball gown was usually made of the finest silks available and decorated with trims, flowers, and feathers. But when money was tight a ballgown out of simple cotton chintz gave a wonderful shine as well. A bertha was often added for extra interest to the necklines of these dresses and was easily removed for cleaning. Often these dresses were made of light, soft colored materials so as to reflect the light of the ballroom and give a very elegant glow to the dance floor.  Dark colors were also used, on young ladies who were not yet of age, or women who were married or of established age. A young lady who had not yet entered society would often wear a darker colored dress so as not to be as noticed as the ladies of age who were looking for a mate. Women of established age would often wear darker colors as well to show their maturity and social standing. But as with everything, there have been many exceptions to the rules found.

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No matter the color of the dress, the age of the lady, or her social status, these gowns were wonderful!