Description:A purple velvet skirt which forms part of a dress. By the mid-1860s the fashion for huge circular skirts had begun to wane. They became flatter at the front, with less fullness in the hips, like the skirt here. The overall shape was determined by petticoats called crinolines. At first these were made from horsehair and linen. As the skirts got bigger, cage crinolines made from steel hoops were introduced. These supported the shape of the skirt but were much lighter to wear.