BUSTLE PADS
Corset and Bustle, 1889.
The bustle, made in this case of wire, sticks out behind the butt to accomadate large swaths of fabric which rest on it to form a train of cloth behind the wearer. The enormous weight placed on the hips and lower back force anyone wearing the bustle and corset to maintain exquisite posture, while removing any possibility of spontaneous movement by forcing the woman to drag many pounds of fabric behind her with her waist. .
Panier Bustles, 1869
Bustles could also be tied on, although this significantly increased the pressures but on the lower back and waist. These bustles were more typically made of primarily of cloth, although reinforced with steel, whalebone, or wire.
As part of a complete dress, the bustle juts out behind, working with the extremely cinched waist to create an exaggerated hourglass figure:
Ladies Toilette, 1886
"This very attractive costume is here made of chambray and Kursheed's standard embroidered chambray panel flouncing edging. . .the basque is in rounding outline in front and at the sides and in the square postillion shape at the back where a stylish pleated effect is achieved over the tournure. . ."
-Delineator, June, 1886
Ladies Polonaise, 1886
"In this instance, the polonaise is show developed in plain sateen and the skirt is figured striped sateen, the collar also being of the striped material. The skirt is trimmed a little above the edge with a broad band of the plain goods blindsewed on. It is shaped to hang gracefully over any style of bustle. . ."
-Delineator, June 1886
Hand Coloured Fashion Plate, from fashion magazine, late 1850's.
Sitting down in the bustle was always a challenge. The lady could not relax, but rather perched on the edge of the chair tilted sideways so as not to scrunch the bustle or to fall over.
The bustlepad peaked in 1885 and was briefly replaced by the bum roll, a rolled wad of fabric placed just behind the backside to extentuate the hourglass figure while removing the worst excesses of the bustle. Even this soon went out of fashion in the early 1890's.
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