h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: How Hoopy Were Hoop Skirts? A Fashion Moment - A87884815
Author: Dmitri Gheorgheni - U1590784

Well, *somebody* has to cover the fashion beat. Might as well be your slovenly Post Editor...

Oh, and a note to the Artists: Yes, I know where the Public Domain pictures are. Harper's Weekly has a good selection of manufacturing illustrations.

Good subject! One that I am not totally unaware of, as I am sure you suspected.

You HAD to find the picture of Scarlet wearing the curtains there were much better examples at 12 Oaks.

You give us a link that mentions crinolines, but only as an aside. I think it would be worthwhile to at least mention that hoop skirts are an undergarment that supports the over dress (we both know this, but I think many casual readers will not).

Although steel was the most common type of hoop other materials were used; whalebone, wood and even tubes of cloth tightly wrapped around a filler.

You might consider linking to my Entry about the Virginia Reel A87802013 The last clip shows woman dancing in hoop skirts, admittedly not as large as your 6 foot example.

There is an old store near the Everglades that is open as a museum http://www.smallwoodstore.com/
I only mention because the counters were designed with the front display faces sloping back from the top surface. This was to accommodate women wearing hoop dresses. Even though the store was built many years after the fashion had faded. The owner reportedly said that that was he remembered them from his youth, and he thought it was the proper way to build them.

Unfortunately they do not show up in the link, but I thought you might find this interesting. I have seen the in person and they do exist

F S

about the shop.

I'll see if I can work in a reference to your Virginia Reel entry.

Did. And I stuck in a footnote, just for you.

Oh, PS: That dress of Scarlett's is my favourite from that neverending movie - but it was also the only one the Library of Congress had, so that's why I used it.

Oh, and PPS - sorry, late-night sloppiness: This entry was inspired by the first episode of the PBS series 'Mercy Street', which is an excellent drama series about nursing during the US Civil War period. Dorothea Dix will put the fear of God in you.

In that episode, I was so struck by admiration of the thoroughness of the actress's preparation - she absolutely ROCKED moving around in that hoop skirt - that I thought I'd do some research on the fashion.

I don't think I minded that dress quite so much before I saw the Carol Barnett parody with the curtain rod left in, over her shoulders

When was / is 'Mercy Street' on? My wife was a nurse for most of her working life, so we know Dorothea Dix well. She has, of course, also worn hoop skirts

F S

It's available on Amazon Prime - two seasons' worth.

Probably also on your PBS.

"The heavy horsehair material weighed women down. It was like wearing a Victorian sofa."

nsfw

"In London in 1858, there were nineteen crinoline-related fire deaths in a two-month period."

Crinoline here means hoop skirts?

Interesting indeed, and I especially noted the last section, which is reminiscent of Katherine Anne Porter who I mentioned in my Entry A87868192

I would have thought that any kind of full skirt, whether with hoops or yards and yards of ruched material, would be a fire hazard.

I was wondering if it was worth mentioning the crocheted toilet roll covers, made to look like ladies in crinolines, who would be more familiar to many people (as least in the UK) today than the real thing.

They are now regarded as a sort of joke/kitsch, like garden gnomes.

Here are some examples. I doubt you get them in the US. They are to be found on the back shelves of old people's cars or in fussily-decorated bathrooms and guest toilets.

http://quirkypurple.com/2013/02/19/crochet-toilet-roll-dolls/

Are you kidding? My mom used to CROCHET those.

I will see if I can work both of those references in. Thanks for the ideas!

Oh, and I'm not 100% sure all those London crinoline deaths were hoop skirts. I agree, TC - those bulky skirts were dangerous, anyway. I think the problem with hoop skirts was their excessive circumference and the way they swung around.

Okay.

I worked Katherine Anne Porter into a footnote, just to provide the link.

And I added an extra section about such oddities as the bathroom dollies. See what you think.

And it's all your fault - I couldn't resist adding a link to the outrageous (but tasteful) video I found on the subject of Victorian ladies' dresses and toilets...

This is very entertaining.

I didn't realise that early crinolines were made of horsehair. In practice, I think the dresses continued to be known as crinolines after the hoop skirts were introduced.

I so gotta get down to the fabric store and get me some matterial.... I so need one of these but... err... is it possible to sit down whilst wearing one?

They are quite available. I did not want to post a private dealer, but this is a good overview http://vintagedancer.com/victorian/victorian-civil-war-costumes-budget/

In reply to other comments I believe 'crinoline' only refers to the under skirt.

A recent (at least in my lifetime) revival was the Poodle Skirt craze of the 1950's

Alright this one is an Ad, but I offer it for information only. http://www.candyapplecostumes.com/filter.html?query=poodle+skirt&searchsubmit=+&vwcatalog=yhst-43237354811846&.autodone=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.candyapplecostumes.com%2F&gclid=CMiFoarM_NECFYQvgQodAb4BNw

F S

PS 2-Legs sitting (and doing other things) is well shown in the 'toilet video' you just have to be careful which way they shift, so as not to reveal too much.

I can't find a video clip, but I swear in 'The King and I', the court ladies all try out hoop skirts and bow to the king, to hilarious effect.

I was surprised to find the claim that hoop skirts are flexible enough to sit in easily. I suppose a certain amount of poise is required - 2legs, you should make us a video...

Yes, I remember that scene. I remember Anna commenting 'Oh dear, I did not think about undergarments.

It all started when the king was given notice that the British council was going to visit. Anna insisted that he should put his 'best foot forward', the king responded by looking down and replying 'Shall I put my best bare foot forward?' that was when he ordered her to have western clothing made for the entire court.

There was also a scene in Hawaii where the natives all kept trying to look under the dresses of the missionary wives. One of the interpreters explained that 'They think you dress that way because you are shaped that way'. I think it was in the film, I know it was in the book.

F S

The word "crinoline" is a rather pretty word, but on googling the etymology, I was disappointed to discover that it derives from crinis and linum which simply mean horsehair.