Bustle

Unknown

1850–1875 · cotton, reed · Costume Institute

The bustle, by extending the body, became a point of demarcation for the back of the waist. By enlarging the derriere visually, the bustle became a foil for the constricted waist in profile. Bustles were silk-floss, cotton, or feather down-filled. Small ones could be found sewn into Empire gowns; more prominent ones were used in the 1870s and 1880s and had an ingenious range of configurations and materials, including wire coil, rattan, and horsehair.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1850–1875

Medium

cotton, reed

Culture

American

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Gift of Estate of Mary Le Boutillier, 1945