The first incarnation of the Bertha collar was as part of Victorian evening wear. During the early Victorian era, women's fashions underwent a change, and it became acceptable for women to show off their bare shoulders. This style's main feature was a wide, flat, lacy frill that trimmed the neckline of these dresses. Some of these frills used so much lace that they could be 6-inches (15.24 cm) deep.