In the 1890s, the focal point of every dress was the full and puffy sleeves, known as leg-o-mutton. This trend was the revival of sleeve styles that were in fashion in the 1830s.

Leg-o-mutton sleeves further accentuate the narrow waist of the hourglass silhouette. The bustle diminished in size in the early 1890s, and by 1893 it was just a padded stay. The sleeves in this dress are tightly fitted from above the elbow to the wrist and loosely gathered.

It is very likely that this wedding dress was inspired by a "promenade costume" designed by Charles Frederick Worth, which was published in Harper's Bazaar in 1896.