At the turn of the century, corsets altered the shape of a woman's body for the sake of style. No garment was more oppressive than the corset. Often made of cotton stiffened with whalebone, the corset made it impossible to bend over, raise the arms very high or walk with a natural stride. Fainting spells were common. And even though the corset was hooked in the front, the fit was adjusted with laces in the back, so it took two to torture.
Bustles are on display, as well.
Constructed of coiled wire or horsehair padding, they were tied around the waist and protruded in the back. Worn with a corset, they gave the wearer the S-shape that was so much in vogue. Worn from the 1840s to the 1890s, cage crinolines and hoops were used to extend skirts with a network of spring steel or whalebone. While many women found them lighter and cooler than layers of petticoats, they were fire hazards. If a cotton skirt caught fire over a crinoline, the flames could not easily be smothered.