To flounce or not to flounce

[IrishRose]

From what i have seen of period hoops and illistrations they werent usually flounced instead a petticoat or two would be worn over the hoop to smooth out the line.

[HistoricalyCorrect's Lady]

Well considering I'm about as Irish as Irish can get, I'll put my vote on Kathleen. lol
And we Irish/Scottish lassies can perform a mean look, a hateful "mphm", a throwing up of the hands all while flouncing away in a tiff.
Just ask HC I'm sure he will tell ya all about it!!!
In closing,
~glaring, sigh, fluttering hands, and a mean flouncing off~

[Miss Markie]

Many is the casualty on that front! Ask the man who was brave enough to marry me! Whilst I worked hard to perfect the flounce, he has perfected the 'maybe if I just sit here real quiet like, she'll go away' tactic, sort of like a poor unsuspecting critter about to get pounced on.

[Highfly]

I regret to say I have yet to master the flounce - I'm still working on not getting tangled and falling on my face (talk about the antithesis of lady like) *blush*

As for the Irish of Catherine, the Irish-Gaelic form is Caitrin or Caitriona. Cathleen was the popular Irish-English spelling of it at the time of the Civil War and through the turn of the century...

[Mark Wadsworth]

I would say flounce

[Irish Confederate Rose]

Hello y'all!

I would recommend a flounced or ruffled hoop....although 80% of hoops were no flounced (usually only upper class women could afford a ruffled hoop) I definately recommned a flounced/ruffled hoop!

I took my regular 6-boned hoop and literally torn ruffles off of old garage-sale-find bed sheets and sewed the ruffles onto my hoop so the ruffles overlay the boning.

Not only do I not have to wear petticoats to hide my boning now, but the ruffles also protect my boning from rain, thorns, high grass, etc. I have had the hoop for 6 years now and have not had to replace it or repair it.

So go find some old ruffled sheets at garage rummage sales, good will, or salvation army and use them to ruffle your hoop! Forget paying $50 or more for a ruffled hoop from a sutler! *wink*

God & Mary Bless You,
~Sarah

[blue_zouave]

Flounces on your hooped petticoats will save you from the Heartbreak of VHL (Visible Hoop Line.)

Ruffled sheets and bedskirts are a great time saver, and are conviently pre-gathered. Best to keep to a plain white/cream/ecru color, since other colors will show through.

And if anyone comments on the origin of your hoop, you may slap them... because if they can see your crinolines, they are TOO CLOSE.

Zou

[southern_belle1861]

I wouldn't go with flounces. Most women put petticoats on, and you can flounce those I personally have never seen and original flounced hoops (by the time of the Civil War, skirt support were usualy cages).