A zone front was a common style for women's dresses and jackets in the late 1700s, in which the garment was cut to look as if it were open in the front, and showing a second layer underneath; essentially, a false waistcoat, stomacher, or compère (which is to say, to modern eyes, a false corset). This type of cut tended to be fitted and decorated, although this does not necessarily mean they were the most fancy or formal.
Common styles sporting zone fronts included the robe à l’anglaise, the robe à la française, and a number of jackets including the caraco, the short sack or pet-en-l’air, and the pierrot.
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