Isabella reporting,
Whenever we share a image of a mid-19th c. lady in a hoopskirt or crinoline (like these fashionable ladies from 1860, below), we're invariably asked how those ladies sat in what amounts to an oversized wire lampshade tied around the waist.
So once again we turned to one of the friends of our blog, historical seamstress and re-enactor Jennifer Rosbrugh, for the answer. (Previously Jennifer showed us how to sit in a bustle.) Jennifer recently posted this video on her own blog, and we felt it was well worth sharing. And yes, if you possess a hoop skirt, please try this at home!
Right: "Dressed for a Party", Godey's Lady's Book, September, 1860.
If you receive this post by email, you may be seeing an empty space where the video should be. Please go directly to the blog here to view the video.
One of us -- 
6 comments:
That's very good advice!
I have no experience wearing 19th century style cage crinolines but I did spend about 3 years as a bridal seamstress so I have explained how to sit in a modern corselette and small hoop skirt ( with only two small hoop at knee and ankle height) quite often... And no customer ever seemed to find it normal to take care with sitting down and to sit straight, let alone perch...
Many years ago I dressed as Martha Washington for a Halloween party. There is NO ladylike way to ride in a car in a hoop skirt and there is especially NO lady like way to use the 'facilities" in a hoop skirt. I had to be very aware of the area of the skirt so I didn't knock over things on tables and I could get through doorways. After about an hour, I took off the skirt and enjoyed the rest of the party
When you're sitting on your hoops, what does that feel like? Do you feel uncomfortable, as if you're sitting on a bar?
So, how do you go to the bathroom? Really don't mean to be uncouth, but we're all human underneath clothes.
Marlene
Info site for Ketchikan Fishing Charters Halibut
When I was in high school, we wore dresses with hoops for graduation. (Girls' school, no black robes *g*)We spent an afternoon practicing with the hoops so our dresses wouldn't go flying up in front of us when we sat down. It turned out that it was very easy to do. And going to the bathroom was no more difficult than it was with any long or full skirt.
with everything getting shorter these days, how does one sit in a mini hoop skirt
Post a Comment