Bustle

A bustle is a padded undergarment or wire frame used to add fullness, or support the drapery, at the back of women's dresses in the mid-to-late 19th century.

[6][7] Baartman, a Khoikhoi woman from South Africa, was featured as a circus attraction in Europe in the early 1800s, due to the particular abundance of tissue on her buttocks.

However, the use of padded cushions and petticoats to accentuate the general shape of the buttocks was already well-established in Europe in the 16th century, long before Sarah Baartman.

[3][4]In the early stages of the fashion for the bustle, the fullness to the back of the skirts was carried quite low and often fanned out to create a train.

Instead of the large bell-like silhouette previously in vogue, they began to flatten out at the front and sides, creating more fullness at the back of the skirts.

Crinolettes were more restrictive than traditional crinolines, as the flat front and bulk created around the posterior made sitting down more difficult for the wearer.

Notable exceptions survive in the realms of haute couture and bridal fashion, in addition to dedicated Neo-Victorian aesthetic circles including the steampunk, Gothic, and Lolita subcultures.