Crinoline

Horsehair braid-crinoline tape

Woman's Cage Crinoline LACMA M.2007.211.380

Dressing for the Ball in 1857, Punch's Pocket Book (cropped)

Error creating thumbnail:

Crinoline joke photograph sequence 04

Crinolettes 1872-75

Crinoline is a stiffened or structured petticoat designed to hold out a woman's skirt, popular at various times since the mid-19th century. Originally, crinoline was a stiff fabric made of horsehair ("crin") and cotton or linen which was used to make underskirts and as a dress lining. By the 1850s, the term crinoline was more commonly applied to the fashionable silhouette provided by horsehair petticoats, and then to the hoop skirts that replaced them in the late 1850s.

History

The crinoline emerged as a fashion trend in the 1850s, reaching its peak in the 1860s. It was designed to create an exaggerated hourglass figure by making the waist appear smaller and the hips wider. The original crinoline was a stiffened skirt, or a skirt supported by horsehair petticoats. However, these were heavy, uncomfortable, and cumbersome. The invention of the steel hoop crinoline in the late 1850s changed this, as it was lighter and allowed for a greater range of movement. The steel hoops were covered with fabric and connected by tapes or bands, creating a cage that could be collapsed for storage or passage through narrow spaces.

Cultural Impact

The crinoline had a significant cultural impact during its time. It was a symbol of status and fashion but also of ridicule and satire. The size of the crinoline was often exaggerated in cartoons and literature of the time, highlighting its impracticality and the lengths to which women would go to follow fashion. Despite this, the crinoline was an important step in women's fashion, freeing them from the weight of multiple petticoats and helping to pave the way for more practical and comfortable clothing.

Decline

By the late 1860s, the popularity of the crinoline began to wane. The introduction of the bustle, which emphasized the rear rather than the circumference of the skirt, marked a shift in fashion. Additionally, the crinoline was often criticized for its impracticality and the hazards it posed, such as catching fire or being caught in machinery. As a result, the crinoline fell out of favor, although it experienced brief revivals in later years as a symbol of historical fashion.

Modern Usage

Today, crinolines are most commonly associated with vintage and historical reenactment costumes. They are also used in bridal and formal wear to give shape to full skirts. The crinoline has also been reinterpreted by contemporary fashion designers, who have drawn inspiration from its shape and structure to create modern garments.

See Also

• Hoop skirt
• Petticoat
• Bustle
• Fashion history