The prevailing silhouette of the 1840s and 1850s has been referred to by some as a wide-based pyramid. The bodice and sleeves take the shape of inverted triangles. The width at the shoulders and hemline created the illusion of an even smaller waistline

In order to support these fashionable choices a woman could wear up to six petticoats in order to achieve the proper shape. Needless to say, there was a certain amount of weight associated with these petticoats. In order to create the shape, some of these petticoats were stiffened with horsehair or starched, supporting the petticoats as well as the skirt itself.

In the early 1850s, a contraption called a hoop began to appear. "Charles Frederick Worth, who was famous for making them for the ladies of the French Court, is credited with making the crinoline such a successful fashion." ( Buxton, 39) It took several years for the idea to capture the acceptance of the fashion conscious public. But by the mid-fifties, driven by the much appreciated release from layers and weight of petticoats, crinolines were a thriving industry.

Throughout the fifties and sixties, hoops became a great topic of conversation, cartoons and satire. In all actuality, there was a real reason for the exaggerations. Hoops were known to become so large it would be impossible for two ladies to pass through the same opening together.