farthingales

A farthingale is a structured hoop or cage worn under a historical woman's skirt, primarily from the 16th and 17th centuries, to shape and support the garment’s silhouette. Made of materials like whalebone, reeds, or wire, it helps create a narrow waist and a wide, voluminous skirt, giving the fashionable elongated and rounded look of the period. Farthingales allowed women to wear elaborate, heavy fabrics comfortably and contributed to the distinctive fashion styles of the time.