I question about hoop skirts.

[Sir. Kindle]

I almost posted this in the "Firthingale" thread, but decided that it wouldn't be nice to steal her topic.

Anyway, my wife just wore her gown for the second time now and it wasn't until I was talking to a friend that we noticed that her hoop skirt really doesn't bow outward, like a bell. It actually looks a little strange the way it sets. Is there a way of fixing it? Do we need to buy a bum roll? The first time she wore it, someone mention that she could prevent the ring at the bottom from showing, if she hiked up the outer skirts more. However, we hiked them up as high as we could before the faire and it still showed the bottom ring. do we have a bad hoop skirt, or is it just our lack of knowledge that is causing the problem?

I'm asking now, because we have a couple more faires to attend this month and I figure that if we need to purchase another, I can probably get it before the next faire in a couple weeks.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Here is a picture of her, so you can get an idea of what I tried to describe above.



Thank you in advance.

Sir. Kindle

[ArielCallista]

More petticoats! I'm not an expert on royal garb, seeing as I tend to dress as more of a gypsy or bellydancer but hoops typically show through if one isn;t wearing a petticoat or at least not a sufficient petticoat. another suggestion to fix the shape would be to add in a few more hoops higher in the skirt to make the desired bell shape. If the hoop skirt is the correct shape, then any layers over it should be of the same shape!

Hope that helps!

[Hoowil]

I tlooks to me like the only hoop making contact with the gown is the bottom one. Are there multiple hoops? Can you adjust them at all?

[Sir. Kindle]

I tlooks to me like the only hoop making contact with the gown is the bottom one. Are there multiple hoops? Can you adjust them at all?

hmmm....yes, there are 4 hoops in the hoop skirt, but I'm not sure if they are adjustable. This is her first time owning one, so we'll have to take a closer look. If they are, that may be the solution. Thanks.

[mehan]

I got away from having to wear multiple (hot) petticoats by reducing the size of my bottom ring which should bring the other rings in line to "bell" out the skirt (not HA, but I am all about comfort - I consider my hoops to be air conditioning).   It also goes further in that every time she bends at the waist to exam vendor items and further, she will be showing less leg.   However, it does look like reducing the size of the hoop in her case will then make her dress too long and might require some further hemming. 

But, as a disclaimer - this is from a comfort point of view - I am strictly a non-accurate playtron who garbs for my own pleasure and am not either HA or a costumer/sempstress. 

[sealion]

You want more of a cone shape rather than a bell. It does look like the bottom hoop is the one doing all of the work so, if the other rings aren't adjustable, a different hoop skirt/farthingale might be in order. And another underskirt will help pad the hoops so they don't show through. It's a beautiful dress and will be even more beautiful once the hoops are adjusted.

[DonaCatalina]

It's a beautiful outfit. If the hoops are not adjustable, you probably do need a new one.
My most recent one, I had to reduce the bottom hoop considerably to avoid exactly the same effect that you are experiencing. Please post new pics if you get it solved.

[Kate XXXXXX]

My take:  Bottom hoop too big for the other hoops, and possibly for the gown, and way to high.  Needs to be 4"-6" lower - much closer to the hem edge.

And a small bum roll might help as well.  Try it and see.

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

I concur with Kate that perhaps a different farthingale and a small bumroll will give the look you are going for.

[Sir. Kindle]

My take:  Bottom hoop too big for the other hoops, and possibly for the gown, and way to high.  Needs to be 4"-6" lower - much closer to the hem edge.

And a small bum roll might help as well.  Try it and see.

Thank you all for your responses! Once it was pointed out to me about the bottom ring, it was very obvious that it was out waaay further out than the other rings. It turns out that it is adjustable, so I took in the bottom ring and let out the other three. It looks much more cone shaped than it did before. Her dress is being cleaned at the moment, so we can't try it out and see if there is a length issue yet.

I'll let you know if lowering it presents a problem. She wore it a few inches higher this time, because of a previous recommendation. I don't think she'll have a problem lowering it, but we shall see. We will buy a bum roll, if needed, but she really want to try the adjusted hoop skirt first before buying one.

Thanks again for all the great responses! We'll keep you updated once we get the dress back.

[VIII]

My wife Susan (Archduchess Sabine) has sewn a ruffle over each of the rings on her Hoop skirts
http://www.robynsroost.com/scarby01/week5/scarb25.JPG
This softens the look of the skirts and diminishes the ring effect on the outer skirts.

[bellevivre]

Second the ruffle idea- the hoop skirt I bought had ruffles at each hoop, and I never had an issue with the hoops showing.

[Stephanie, lady perfumer]

Would anyone have recommendations on where to get inexpensive ones with good shape? Do they always come adjustable, or is that a feature of only some?

I'll need to be buying one sometime soon, and I would like to avoid having the hoops show as I'll have cotton skirts.

[bellevivre]

most wedding dress/formal shops will have various styles. Also, I know Pendragon sells them because that's where I got mine. About $35, if I recall correctly...

[Lady Rebecca]

I got mine from Moresca at Scarborough. They are $65 (for four hoops) but there's a ruffle at each hoop, so the hoops don't show.