My childhood idea of a “ballgown” was based on Disney’s cartoon Cinderella–a gleaming display of fine shoulders but no naughty bits. My Google researches before buying gowns of my own showed that Sweden’s beautiful Queen and the Royal Aunt wear long flowing dresses with cap sleeves or even with long sleeves.
For the traditional royal dinner at the palace, I wore my own long-sleeved long velvet dress so that my new birthday necklace would show. I was glad of the sleeves, because Stockholm’s Royal Palace turns out to be much colder than City Hall!