Bustle
Unknown Artist
1880s
Medium
cane, cotton
Classification
Bustle
Culture
American
Department
Costume Institute
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. William R. Witherell, 1953
Accession Number
C.I.53.72.17
Art Historical Context
Step into the opulent world of 1880s American fashion *Bustle*, a garment from the Metropolitan Museum Art's Costume Institute.ed from cane and cotton by an unknown artist, thisstructure exemplifies the era's dramatic silhouettes, designed to project volume at the back of a woman's skirt. Donated as a gift from Mrs. William R.itherell in 1953, it offers a tangible glimpse into Gilded Age elegance. During the late 19th, bustles like this one marked a shift from the wide hoop skirts of the Civil War era to a more posterior-focused profile, symbolizing refined femininity and social status. Ameri...