The winter social season was a time for lavish entertaining for families like the Tayloes, and Ann would certainly have had new gowns made in the latest fashions. She probably stayed up-to-date on the fashions from Europe through magazines that published fashion plates.Most women in Washington, free and enslaved, would have only had a few gowns, perhaps hand-me-downs from a relative or employer. Their gowns would have been practical and simple, though many probably did what they could to update older dresses to try to keep up with changing fashions. Wealthy women like Ann had numerous gowns for every occasion, from elegant balls, to spending the morning at home with family, to visiting friends.
