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Dresses varied in the waistline treatment. The waistline was very important for men's garments. The waistline is what held pants up with a range of suspension devices. This was not the case for dresses. the skirt was an extension of the bodice and did not require suspension devices. Some dresses were done without defined waistlines with the bodice falling straight with into the skirt. A defined waistline was purely a fashion matter. Many dresses did have tightly defined waistlines. A common convention for waistbands was that the front of the waistline was affixed to the dress. he back of the waistline was free at the back which tied into bows, sometimes quite large bows. The bows were especially important for party dresses. That seems a little tricky. Younger girls had the bow tied by mom. Older girls somehow mastered it on their own. There was no utility involved here. It was considered a decorative detail meant to add a touch of femininity and what might be described as 'cuteness'. Thus these bows, especially the large decorative ones were normally worn by little girls or for a time teenagers, although this became less common in the 20th century. One source suggests, "the back placement of the bow allows the bow to be seen gracefully while still maintaining a clean look on the front of the dress." this was especially true of the larger bows. It is purely a design aesthetic which became a common element in girls dresses.
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