Quite contrary: Curious gardens and bustles

Bustles are curiously unique fashion features. You don’t see many these days, except at weddings, or occasionally as costumes in Victorian and Edwardian period dramas, or gothic horror films. However, the other day I was driving down the North End Road in London’s Fulham, when I spotted a young woman, with a pushchair, wearing a full length skirt with a large bustle. The immediate thought that came to mind was that she must be a fashion designer, or perhaps this is a curious new trend?










Bustles have appeared on catwalks over the past couple of decades – notably from the likes of Vivienne Westwood – but unless worn for a grand occasion, or by those with a penchant for neo-Victorian Steampunk style, they’ve been seen as little more than an avant garde stylistic diversion. Recently, more mainstream, toned down versions of the bustle have been popular sellers at outlets like All Saints and online, at ASOS.



They’re probably not so great for gardening in, but I wonder if we’ll start seeing the full length, Victorian style bustle skirt walking down the high street soon...

Do you?