Ten iconic Bridgerton fashion moments

Bridgerton first careered onto our screens with grandeur and pomp, stolen glances, careless whispers and a good serving of questionable historical accuracy. It’s an unapologetically fun Regency-inspired romp.

We’ve been captivated by the ‘will they won't they’ stories of Daphne and the Duke and Kate and Anthony, as well as the clandestine mystery of Lady Whistledown. But the attraction of Bridgerton is more than romance, scandal and betrayal. Dearest reader, it's also the incredible costumes. 

Bridgerton dresses often take centre stage with their empire waists, puffed sleeves and sumptuous lace. 

Here’s a rundown of our top ten favourite Bridgerton outfits:

(Warning: may contain spoilers and scenes of intense brooding!)

 

 

1. Daphne Bridgerton's demure debutante dress

Queen Charlotte called this look 'flawless' and who are we to disagree? The classic empire-waist dress with ivory satin and gold details got heads turning and tongues wagging, as Daphne was introduced to viewers and society in elegant style.   

 

 

2. The Featheringtons’ picnic attire 

From the subtle to the stupendous. Bold, bright, and just the right side of brash, this ensemble of dresses was possibly the eclectic Featheringtons’ finest hour. Pushed into a corner we'd pick Portia's long-sleeve brocade dress with its sweetheart neckline as a particular highlight. Using her finery to show her wealth and status in true Regency style. 

 

 

3. When Queen Charlotte struck gold

All hail Queen Charlotte and her royally incredible dresses. Swathes of golden fabric and a silver brocade petticoat stole the show as she oversaw some mild flirting from Daphne and the Duke. All perfectly accessorised with some remarkably well-behaved pomeranians. Perfect.  

 

 

4. Penelope Featherington's bold lace dress

When you're hiding in plain sight you’d be forgiven for thinking subtlety would be the order of the day, but Penelope 'Lady Whistledown' Featherington didn't let her undercover operations hold her back from some pretty wild fashion choices. Take this floral lace, puff sleeve dress, mustard shawl, polka dot gloves, feather headdress and bejewelled necklace – all for an afternoon stroll. Colours lurid enough to have caused a scandal in their own right in real Regency times.

 

 

5. Cousin Marina's yellow head-turner 

Distant Featherington cousin Marina caused quite a stir when she attended the Danbury Ball in this understated but eye-catching lace dress. Empire waist, check, delicate tulle lining, check, pretty embroidery, check, furious reaction from the Featheringtons when suitors called at the house for Marina and not the daughters, check.

 

 

6. Lady Danbury’s diamond ball gown 

Lady Danbury rocked some iconic looks throughout the series, and this is one of her best. An elegant silver gown, lace collar and dripping in diamonds. A show-stopping look for the social powerhouse that she is.

 

 

7. Baby blue meets brocade 

The hand clutch, the locked eyes, the subtle embroidery, the glistening brocade. When the powder blue high-waisted dress met the metallic waistcoat, it was a match made in sartorial heaven. Romantic, classy and as swoon-inducing as the Duke himself.

 

 

8. Purple reigns

When season two 'diamond' Edwina and 'on the shelf' (26-year-old...) Kate come together to discuss Anthony, it's a riot of lilac. Edwina's soft empire line dress and bow detailed gloves are tell-tale signs that she's a younger sibling primed for heartbreak, while Kate's rich jewel tones and majestic Indian-influenced belt shout 'I'm strong and off limits', for now...

 

 

9. Here comes the... queen

Someone else's wedding day? Irrelevant. When you're the Queen it's perennially all about you. Bow down to the sky-scraping heart shaped wig, fall in love with the dazzling embellished front panel, and say 'I do' to the attention demanding tiered frill sleeves of this dress. No wonder Queen Charlotte has her own spin-off show.

 

 

10. Kate's kickass cape

Some of Kate's best fashion moments came in her swashbuckling scenes. For sheer elegant drama, we doff our (top) hats to the Regency riding cape. When Kate got on her high horse and galloped off into the woods, her cape did more than just turn heads. It may have saved her life… possibly. As she took a tumble, her dreams of making it to the end of season two hung in the balance, but up stepped the sumptuous deep teal cape to give her a soft (ish) landing. And there she lay like a little green riding hood in a pool of flowing velvet, only to be found by a desperate Anthony.

 

 

Regency fashion inspiration

Although undeniably beguiling, it’s fair to say that Bridgerton’s dresses aren't always entirely historically accurate. There are nods to the true fashions of the time, but this is a fantasy world, where artistic licence is definitely used. In reality, white was one of the most popular colours in the Regency period and the almost neon choices of the Featheringtons would have raised an eyebrow or two. 

In our collections we’ve got some great examples of 18th and early 19th century pieces. These include day wear, evening wear, shoes, hats and accessories. Check out our fashion collection page to find out more.  

All Bridgerton images from Alamy.