Ahoop skirtorhoopskirtis a women'sundergarmentworn in various periods to hold theskirtextended into a fashionable shape.
Bottom:Farthingale,c.1600. Hoop or pannier, 1750–80.
It originated as a modest-sized mechanism for holding long skirts away from one's legs, to stay cooler in hot climates and to keep from tripping on the skirt during various activities. Small hoops might be worn by farmers and while working in the garden. Hoops were then adopted as a fashion item, and the size and scale of the hoops grew in grandeur, especially during the mid-nineteenth century transition from the 1850s to the 1860s.[1]As the society of consumerism evolved, the roles of men and women changed and so did their dress. In the mid-19th century, the fashionable silhouette was a small waist with large, dome-shaped skirts.[2]More and more petticoats were added to make the skirts appear even larger. When the circularcrinolinecame out in 1856, it was a revelation not only of technology but of convenience for women.[1]The crinoline supported the weight of the numerous skirts and allowed the woman to wear fewer petticoats while still achieving the desired silhouette.[2]The invention of the sewing machine allowed crinolines to be mass-produced at a lower cost, thus making the crinoline available for all classes.[3]
The mania for large bell-shaped skirts phased out through the mid-1860s and slowly shifted to emphasize volume in the posterior. The crinolette came into fashion, which was basically a narrow crinoline with a flat front and cage hoops in the back.[3]
By the 1870s, the cage of the crinolette became a cage only at the rear of the woman's undergarments.[1]This is known today as abustle.
Hoop skirts typically consist of a fabricpetticoatsewn with channels designed to act as casings for stiffening materials, such asrope,osiers,whalebone,steel,or, from the mid-20th century,nylon.[4][5]The crinoline of the mid-19th century was constructed from collapsible steel hoops. This allowed for easy storage and increased agility for the wearer.[3]
Hoop skirts were first introduced to the United States by David Hough, Jr. in 1846.[2]
Hoop skirts are called by various names in different periods:
- Farthingale(Spanishverdugado) (16th century)
- Panniersor "side hoops" (18th century)
- Crinolineor crinolette (mid-19th century)
Lightweight hoop skirts, usually with nylon hoops, are worn today under very full-skirtedwedding gowns.They can sometimes be seen in thegothic fashionscene. Reproduction hoop skirts are an essential part ofliving historycostuming, especiallyAmerican Civil War reenactment.
References
edit- ^abcFogg, Marnie:Fashion: The Whole Story,2013, Prestel, New York, New York,ISBN978-3-7913-4761-5
- ^abc"Hoop Skirt".Smithsonian Institution.Retrieved2022-02-14.
- ^abc"V&A · Corsets, crinolines and bustles: fashionable Victorian underwear".Victoria and Albert Museum.Retrieved2022-02-16.
- ^Arnold, Janet:Patterns of Fashion: the cut and construction of clothes for men and women 1560-1620,Macmillan 1985.
- ^Arnold, Janet:Patterns of Fashion 2: Englishwomen's Dresses and Their Constructionc.1860-1940,Wace 1966, Macmillan 1972.
Sources
edit- Arnold, Janet:Patterns of Fashion: the cut and construction of clothes for men and women 1560-1620,Macmillan 1985. Revised edition 1986.ISBN0-89676-083-9
- Arnold, Janet:Patterns of Fashion 1 (cut and construction of women's clothing, 1660–1860),Wace 1964, Macmillan 1972. Revised metric edition, Drama Books 1977.ISBN0-89676-026-X.
- Arnold, Janet:Patterns of Fashion 2: Englishwomen's Dresses and Their Constructionc.1860-1940,Wace 1966, Macmillan 1972. Revised metric edition, Drama Books 1977.ISBN0-89676-027-8
- Arnold, Janet:Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd,W S Maney and Son Ltd, Leeds 1988.ISBN0-901286-20-6
- Fogg, Marnie:Fashion: The Whole Story,2013, Prestel, New York, New York,ISBN978-3-7913-4761-5.