Hi there, In regards to your question about petti coats holding their shape, I do knot what you mean, you'd think with all the weight the entire cage of a bustle would just go forward. Bustle support pads went on underneath the bustle cage and it set right over on top of that, filling in the empty space that would otherwise be forced forward under the weight of the gown. Also, gravity does have some effect on how the weight falls, many times just falling straight down and because of the angle of the bustle it doesn't always force it forward. I wear an original bustle for programs on Victorian era topics and find that without the modern hand made bustle pad underneath to support the cage, the dress will not stand out as strongly, so it really is a simple solution, though tournures and such existed to be used without a cage altogether or to be worn over the top of the bustle to soften the shape. This is a link for a page with various patterns for bustles, though I have never purchased any. http://www.agelesspatterns.com/bustles.htm Hope this helps, take care:) Justine.
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