Josephine Beauharnais, Napoleon's first wife, in an “Empire style” dress
The French women's fashion of the First Empire , from 1804 to 1814, differed enormously from the previous one:via tinsel, lace, damask, wigs and exaggerated widths (just think of the panier https://www.pilloledistoria.it/2583/storia-moderna/moda-femminile-700-panier), it became much more sober and comfortable.
Generally speaking, what will go down in history as the "Empire style" , provided for white or light clothing , therefore total absence of color, to give the figure an appearance as similar as possible to that of the ancient statues of Classical Greece, which also inspired the lines and cuts.
Just take a look at the paintings of the time to see which was the garment of choice:dresses with a flowing, flowing line up to the ankles marked by a belt which was no longer at waist height, but below the breast .
The whole was simple and harmonious, decidedly feminine.
The fabrics for the realization of the dresses they were impalpable and light, with evident transparencies; Indian muslin it was one of the most popular fabrics and was almost always embellished with elegant embroidery.
If the ladies were cold, they were allowed to cover their shoulders and décolleté with a cashmere shawl Indian , a must as coveted as it is expensive.