Let’s start with a look at the Spanish Farthingale. These gained popularity in the 1500s. They had these thick horizontal bands an a cone shape. Click the picture to read from the direct source.
Next in 1700s, the pannier gained popularity. I ended up calling this a table dress during the episode. It had the huge extensions on the hips that could be made with springs to fold down for getting through doorways. Click the picture to read more.
After the pannier, women wanted big, round dresses, but without any under structure, they relied on added layers of fabric to achieve the look. This resulted in a heavy, hot collection of skirts and petticoats to achieve the look. And then Amelia Bloomer pushed for a different kind of undergarment to get rid of all those extra layers.
This article briefly touches on the issue of Black women wearing hoop skirts as well as how hoop skirts can bridge the gap between the classes.
Men came up with a lot of odd theories about why the hoop skirt should actually be considered scandalous or a sign of a bad woman. Were you hiding a pregnancy under there, a whole man? Who could tell?
But it wasn’t all freedom and scandal. There were fatalities too. This little article will tell you about the awful ways people met their end because of wearing these things.
Now, please enjoy these silly cartoons made as a reaction to women wearing the hoop skirt. Men were so upset by these skirts that they had to make these cartoons about it. It’s a slideshow, so scroll through!
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