Bustle 1883 - 1888

This Bustle was made by W.S.D. & Company, and it epitomizes late 19th-century fashion. These undergarments are crucial for understanding the Victorian era’s obsession with creating an exaggerated silhouette. The bustle reshaped the wearer's body to conform to cultural ideals, emphasizing the derriere while cinching the waist. This hyper-feminization served to both empower and constrain women. Fashion became a tool that reflected gender roles and social expectations, particularly for women in the middle and upper classes. The extreme shape was meant to convey the wearer's elevated status. However, the restrictive nature of the bustle also highlights the physical constraints placed on women in society. It limited movement and reinforced their role as objects of visual pleasure. The bustle and its visual impact served as a marker of identity during a time when women were fighting for suffrage and greater social mobility. Consider how such a seemingly simple object encapsulates a complex interplay of identity, aspiration, and restriction during a transformative period in history.