For first class passengers on board Titanic, status was everything. Where you sat at dinner, the size of your suite and who you played cards with all marked out your position in society.
But perhaps the most visual way to make your social statement was by what you wore. For the ladies in particular, an ensemble by the latest on trend designer could put you ahead of the game. You certainly could not be seen at dinner in the same dress as the night before.
It was an era when fashion trends were moving quickly and even amongst the older generation there was a need to be seen to embrace modernity. One fashion faux-pas could knock you down the social ladder. It was a complicated game to play.