Bridgerton is known for its iconic fashion. Throughout its three seasons and one spin-off so far, the series has continued to use fashion to make statements about the characters and their respective stories. Dresses are particularly used to highlight certain aspects of a character’s personality, intentions, and future. While many dresses may not be strictly historically accurate, they are also used throughout these series to comment on the status of women.

Some dresses, like Francesca’s (Hannah Dodd) debut dress indicate a new chapter for a character. Others, like Queen Charlotte’s (Golda Rusheuvel) regal gold gown, represent a character’s stature and their place in this world. The franchise uses fashion to blur the distinction between historical realism and historical fantasy. The best dresses worn by the women of Bridgerton signal who they are and how they perceive themselves within this society.

15Genevieve Delacroix’s Mirror Dress

Season 3, Episode 6 (2024)

 Genevieve Delacroix (Kathryn Drysdale) is the ton’s most in-demand modiste. In addition to having a keen eye for fashion, she is a confidant to many of the women who visit her shop in search of style and companionship. As the series has gone on, she has shown that she is among the show’s wisest characters. Her advice is often underrated, and she has a perspective on things far beyond the world of fashion.

If anyone knows dresses, its Madame Delacroix. While Madame Delacroix remains mostly in the background as she dresses the women of the ton, she is a complex and dynamic character in her own right. In the third season, she shows herself to be a particular friend to Penelope as she comes into her own as a character. The dress she wears when she meets Penelope in Season 3, episode 6 shows that she is all business and that she is serious about her profession and those she considers friends.

14Hyacinth Bridgerton’s Pink Dress

Season 2, Episode 1 (2022)

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Hyacinth Bridgerton (Florence Hunt) is the youngest Bridgerton sibling. As such, her dresses are often fairly simple when compared to those of her sisters and the women around her. In the premiere episode of Bridgerton season 2, she is seen wearing a pink-tinged dress with polka dots. This is a departure from the light-colored, often off-white dresses that she is usually seen wearing. She continues to soak in everything her siblings say and do.

What makes this dress so notable is the fact that it showcases Hyacinth’s personality perfectly. This may not be the most elaborate dress featured in the series, but it does showcase the story’s future. This dress signals the Bridgerton siblings’ continued influence on their youngest sibling. This dress indicates that Hyacinth is the future of the series, and that she will continue to grow more like her siblings all the time.

13Marina Thompson’s Yellow Dress

Season 1, Episode 3 (2020)

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Marina Thompson (Ruby Barker) made an impact from the moment she was introduced in Bridgerton. She is introduced as a distant cousin of the Featherington family, who all help her enter society. It turns out she needs little help, as she is magnetic from her first moments among the ton. Her personality shines through and is accentuated by her style. The Featheringtons have a fondness for anything bright and yellow, it seems, so it makes sense that Marina would have to navigate this look.

What makes Marina’s yellow dress so charming is that it emphasizes how different her story has been so far from the Bridgerton book series. This dress gives Marina a chance to showcase how her personality is distinctive from anything else her family might try to develop. Her individuality is able to be showcased through this dress. Whether or not Marina is personally fond of yellow, she makes it work, which is a testament to how flexible she is as a character.

12Lady Featherington’s Flower Dress

Season 3, Episode 1 (2024)

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Lady Portia Featherington’s (Polly Walker) dresses typically feature some form of flower motif. In the premiere episode of Bridgerton Season 3, the flowers are back in full force as she tries to maintain her family’s lifestyle amid their unique financial predicament. She has to continue to manage three daughters, two of whom struggle to comprehend many of the ways of the world. Her focus remains on practicality and securing her family’s future.

What makes this dress so effective is that it captures the chaos that exists within this character. The excess flowers attempt to mask the disarray that characterizes Lady Featherington’s life and that of her family. The drama that exists in this dress mirrors the drama that always seems to follow this character. The flowers overpower Lady Featherington, which is a mirror of how she feels when faced with her family’s uncertain future.

11Eloise Bridgerton’s Debut Dress

Bridgerton Season 2, Episode 1 (2022)

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Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) is a subversive character and never fails to articulate how she rejects so much of what the ton stands for. This extends to her fashion choices, which are typically plain. At the beginning of Bridgerton Season 2, Eloise dons a uniform dress to indicate that she is ready to be “out” in society. From the moment she puts this dress on, her discomfort is evident. However, she pushes through and gets through her debut…sort of.

At first, this dress appears to be one of many that look alike. However, it is the fact that Eloise wears it that transforms it into one of the most important dresses featured in the series. This dress adds a depth to Eloise’s character, as it shows the disconnect she feels between the society in which she finds herself and her own feelings. Bridgerton continues to showcase Eloise’s growth, and part of this is showing how she interacts with her family and society.

10Cressida Cowper’s Ballgown

Season 3, Episode 3 (2024)

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Bridgerton‘s third season saw Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen) come into her own after being the ton’s designated mean girl. Her fashion statements were a crucial part of her development this season. So many of her dresses featured massive shoulders, bright colors and shapes in which her body can get lost. These dresses symbolize Cressida’s desire to disappear and live her own life and to forge her own identity.

What made Cressida’s dresses, this gold one in particular, so effective in Bridgerton‘s third season is that they showcase her personality and insecurities. The sleeves can’t mask Cressida’s deep lack of sense of self, especially seen throughout this season. This dress serves as a kind of armor for Cressida as she attempts to navigate the reality of being married off to an uncaring man by an uncaring family. These massive shoulders signify a character trying to take up more space.

9Daphne Bridgerton’s Lavender Dress

Season 2, Episode 1 (2022)

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Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) was the main protagonist of Bridgerton‘s first season. Her lavender dress indicates where she is in her married life after going through her own wardrobe evolution during the first season. Although she ultimately marries the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page), she keeps a similar wardrobe throughout her tenure, including her return for the second season. Daphne wore this lavender dress when returning to visit her family.

Many of Daphne’s dresses featured throughout the first season look similar in their simplicity. This indicates an innocence that the character demonstrates repeatedly. However, this dress also showcases Daphne’s own flexibility and the fact that while she may be innocent, she is not naive. The lavender dress is emblematic of the finalization of Daphne’s character arc throughout the series. It shows her ability to stay true to her roots while developing a new identity in her married life.

8Francesca Bridgerton’s Debut Dress

Season 3, Episode 1 (2024)

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Bridgerton‘s third season features Francesca’s debut into society. It is white with puffy sleeves and a long train. The dress has distinctive trim that adds to its character. The first time this dress is seen, it is seen on its own without the headpiece of feathers. This initial appearance is the dress at its most basic. Francesca is in her own world, enraptured by the music of the piano while her family searches for her throughout the house.

Like her sister Eloise, Francesca’s debut dress represents the disconnect between Francesca’s upcoming debut in society and what her future ultimately holds. This dress is also important for this character, as it is featured during the first moments, fans are introduced to the newest version of this character, since Dodd stepped into the roll. This debut dress sets the tone for Francesca’s storyline this season, which involves her coming into her own and accepting that her wishes will take her far from her family.

7Kate Sharma’s Haldi Ceromony Dress

Season 2, Episode 6 (2022)

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Throughout Bridgerton‘s second season, it is clear that the showrunners made an effort to showcase the Sharma family’s Indian culture. Before Edwina’s wedding in the second season, the Sharma family gathers to take part in a Haldi ceremony. This scene features the Sharmas coming together as a family in a sweet way, and gives Kate, in particular, a chance to shine as she shows just how big her heart has always been, especially when it comes to her family.

Kate’s Haldi ceremony dress is one of the most dynamic ones featured in the series. It showcases Kate’s personality, and how much she loves her culture. Kate wears this dress with a sense of home, which makes it dynamic. The warmth and comfort that this dress exudes make it a perfect addition to Kate’s character. This dress shows Kate as her most authentic self which makes the dress that much brighter.

6Lady Agatha Danbury’s Dress and Hat

‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’ – Season 1, Episode 6 (2023)

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Lady Agatha Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) has always been one of the style icons of the Bridgerton universe. Her cane elevates any dress she wears. Lady Danbury plays a crucial role in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, and gives viewers even more fashion choices from one of the franchise’s matriarchs. In the Bridgerton spin-off, Lady Danbury appears with even more dresses as viewers get a chance to see how this character has grown and changed over the years.

What makes this particular dress so effective is that it showcases how subversive Lady Danbury has always been. This dress and its associated hat represent Lady Danbury’s fierce commitment to her individuality. Lady Danbury’s dress in this episode also showcases how willing this character is to set her own trends and exercise her own power over this society. There is a regalness in this dress indicating that Lady Danbury will always be an indispensable part of the ton.

5Edwina Sharma’s Wedding Dress

Season 2, Episode 6 (2022)

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In Bridgerton‘s second season, Edwina Sharma (Charithra Chandran) is set to marry Lord Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey). Edwina and Anthony’s journey to the wedding day was overshadowed by Anthony’s growing romance with Edwina’s sister, Kathani, also known as Kate (Simone Ashley). Edwina ends up left at the altar, but not before several heartwarming moments that showcase this character’s sweetness.

Edwina’s wedding dress has a tragedy on its own, since Edwina is cheated out of her own romance. The beautifully detailed dress symbolizes everything that this character deserves. There is an additional poignance in having Edwina show love and support to the King and Queen during one of the King’s mental health episodes. This demonstrates Edwina’s compassion and the fact that she is keenly aware of the power of love.

4Queen Charlotte’s Golden Gown

Season 1, Episode 5 (2020)

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In the Bridgerton universe, Queen Charlotte is noted for her fashion, particularly her hair. Her gowns signify that she is a woman of power. In the fifth episode of Bridgerton‘s first season, Queen Charlotte receives Daphne and Simon, who are seeking her approval to marry. When she does so, she is dressed in a glittering golden gown, surrounded by her ladies-in-waiting. She never wavers in showcasing that she can materially impact the love lives of the upper classes.

The moment featuring this golden dress is a critical moment for Queen Charlotte as well as Daphne and Simon. At this time, the Queen is compelled to confront the fact that her husband is becoming more and more incapacitated. Watching her be so moved by Simon’s declaration of love for Daphne in this regal gown reminds viewers of this character’s humanity in spite of her stature. This dress symbolizes Queen Charlotte’s romanticism and her ability to be an effective monarch.

3Queen Charlotte’s Blue Gown

Season 2, Episode 2 (2022)

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There’s no one in the Bridgerton universe who does fashion quite like Queen Charlotte. While all of her regal looks are notable, it is some of the dresses she uses to interact with the ton on a daily basis that stand out. In the second season, the Queen wastes no time in finding a match for her selected diamond of the season, Edwina Sharma. She collaborates with Lady Sharma (Shelley Conn) and Lady Danbury to accomplish her mission.

Queen Charlotte’s blue gown in the second season is particularly notable because she uses it while devising her plans to get Edwina married. This dress is fairly understated compared to some of the Queen’s other looks. However, even though she is using it for “normal” activities, it is clear that this dress is exquisite. The detailing and color on the dress alone make it among the Queen’s best and most effective looks.

2Kate Sharma’s Hunting Dress

Season 2, Episode 4 (2022)

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Kate Sharma made a massive impact when she was first introduced in Bridgerton‘s second season. As she grows closer to the Bridgerton family, she invites herself on a hunt with the men of the family. She is prepared with a sturdy and stylish dress that allows her to not only keep up with the men on the hunt, but to outpace them at many moments. While wearing this dress, Kate and Anthony’s romance continues to grow.

Kate’s hunting dress showcases this character’s fierce independence, even as her love story continues to grow. Kate and Anthony’s romance The dress’s utility is a match for the character’s flexibility and ability to forge her own destiny. The dress is also a reminder that while Kate has an endearing love story, there is so much more to her than this. Kate is at her best when she is allowed to fully acknowledge both of these aspects of her character.

1Penelope Featherington’s New Dress

Season 3, Episode 1 (2024)

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The most charming dress featured in the Bridgerton universe to date is Penelope’s (Nicola Caughlan). Until this moment, Penelope often wore citrus-colored gowns when making her way through society. There was a concerted effort on her mother’s part to ensure that this was always the color scheme associated with Penelope Featherington. At the beginning of the third season, Penelope takes her wardrobe into her own hands, and crafts a new look featuring a light, teal-colored dress.

What makes this dress so captivating is that it symbolizes Penelope’s new beginning right at the start of Bridgerton‘s third season. Penelope’s journey to love herself first is represented by this new dress. The fact that Penelope is able to pay such close attention to her own wardrobe, including what she feels comfortable wearing and what flatters her, means that she is growing as a character. The dress is the start of Penelope taking hold of her own future rather than relying exclusively on her mother.