Empire waist wedding and evening dresses

Look not at the decor, but at the place where the skirt begins. In the empire design, this transition takes place below the chest or significantly higher natural waist, so the bodice ends earlier than in the usual horizontal construction. The name describes the height of the construction line, not the reproduction of a historical style or the promise of a certain effect for the figure.

The seam is more important than the high tape

Decorative belt can lie high, but this does not make the waist empire. See if the bodice goes into the top of the skirt just below it, or if the tape is just superimposed on the solid construction. If there is draped bodice, find the end of its folds: they may converge to a high seam, but the height is still determined by the actual joint of the parts.

Next, check the line in the profile. It should read not only from the front: match the right and left sides, the back and where the fabric starts to fall. On lace the seam may be partially lost in the drawing, and collection — change its apparent direction. Do not identify these details with the waist itself.

At the fitting, estimate the length of the bodice from the shoulder to the transition and the position of the seam relative to the chest in a particular model. Sit down, then stand up and see where the fabric gathers and if the top of the skirt returns to its previous level. On samples in CRYSTAL compare empire lines and natural lines in the same angles - this is how the design defines the difference, not promises to hide the stomach, add height or fit a certain type of figure.