In 1865, bust improvers were typically padding devices used to add slight volume, often made from polished cotton, other fabric, stiffened horsehair or leather. They were designed to sit under the bodice, sometimes appearing separately as in the current example or as ruffled corset covers or sewn-in pads, ensuring a smooth, rounded front to contrast with the voluminous crinoline skirts and tightening waists of the period. It was often the structures beneath Victorian clothing that gave women’s fashion its form. Corsets (also known as stays) moulded the waist, while cage crinolines supported voluminous skirts, and bustles projected a dress out from behind. A little extra help was sometimes needed to achieve the desired silhouette. So-called ‘bust-improvers’ were used as extra padding.
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In 1865, bust improvers were typically padding devices used to add slight volume, often made from polished cotton, other fabric, stiffened horsehair or leather. They were designed to sit under the bodice, sometimes appearing separately as in the current example or as ruffled corset covers or sewn-in pads, ensuring a smooth, rounded front to contrast with the voluminous crinoline skirts and tightening waists of the period. It was often the structures beneath Victorian clothing that gave women’s fashion its form. Corsets (also known as stays) moulded the waist, while cage crinolines supported voluminous skirts, and bustles projected a dress out from behind. A little extra help was sometimes needed to achieve the desired silhouette. So-called ‘bust-improvers’ were used as extra padding.