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Fashion in womenswear changed frequently during the Regency period. To be a man or woman of fashion implied not only attention to dress but also to social position and political affiliation. The popularity of certain styles was particularly influenced by shifting attitudes towards the situation in France and the expansion of the Empire. Combined with increasingly sophisticated forms of retailing and the print media's avid reporting of the latest trends, contemporary interest in fashion was intense. In this group you can examine some of the popular styles represented in portraits from the Gallery's collection.