Bodices

• In the 1850s, the fronts of women's dresses, called the bodice, generally buttoned down. During the pioneer era, collars were not common on women's dresses, therefore, bonnets served in their stead to protect women's necks and faces from the elements. A casual "day dress," however, had wide collars of lace, crochet, or tatting. More austere dresses had a "Jenny Lind" collar -- a tall, stiff, band resembling a priest's collar -- around the neckline.
  
  

Sleeves

• Short sleeves allowed women to wash without getting sleeves wet.Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
  
  Sleeves on the dresses of the 1850s could be long, short or somewhere in between. Long-sleeved dresses had either an elastic band at the wrist or were left loose, and sometimes included trim. Some long sleeves were dressed up with scalloped sleeve caps or were designed with puffy bishop sleeves for fancier occasions, according to the University of Vermont. Dresses worn around the house were typically short-sleeved so that women washing dishes or clothes would not get their sleeves wet.
  
  

Waistlines

• The Basque waistline style was popular in the 1850s. Beginning at the natural waist, a Basque waistline drops down a few inches to form a V-shape in the front. Other popular waistlines of the time were the fan waistline, which fanned out in small pleats below the waist, and the empire waist, which sits several inches above the natural waistline. Around the house, women generally wore aprons tied around the waist in order to protect their clothing and have something to wipe their hands on.
  
  

Hems

• Shorter hems did not get dirty so easily.Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
  
  Hems on pioneer dresses reached anywhere from mid-calf to slightly above the ankle. This was a time before sidewalks were common, so wearing dresses a little short kept them from dragging in the dirt. Eyelet lace trim was often applied at the bottom of the hem to give the appearance of a petticoat. Petticoats are layered undergarments that shape the fabric of the skirt from the waist down into a bell shape. Petticoats were worn under dresses by women in the 1850s primarily for formal occasions.
  
  

Patterns and Fabrics

• Cotton, muslin and linen were popular fabrics dresses in the 1850s. For fancier occasions, taffeta was a popular choice. Fabric was either solid-colored or printed with small flowers, stripes and other designs.