c. 1868-1872

Hoop Skirt

The short length of this hoop skirt indicates that it was worn under a walking dress that was looped up or had a hem several inches off the ground. Short skirts provided greater mobility, and also allowed a woman to display her ankles-or at least fashionable striped stockings and boots. Women were warned to wear only very small hoops with these newly popular short skirts, since a breeze or bending over in a large bouncy hoop skirt could reveal more than decency allowed. Although of modest circumference, this hoop is fairly full in the upper back, and an additional horsehair bustle would probably have emphatically emphasized this area.