▁as ▁common ▁until ▁ 1 8 5 6 , ▁prior ▁supporting ▁the ▁sk ir ts ▁with ▁layers ▁if ▁st arch ed ▁p ett ico ats . ▁Bou ff ant ▁g own s ▁with ▁large ▁cr in ol ines ▁were ▁probably ▁reserved ▁for ▁special ▁occasions . ▁ ▁Sk ir ts ▁were ▁now ▁assemble d ▁of ▁sh aped ▁pan els , ▁since ▁gather ing ▁a ▁straight ▁length ▁of ▁fabric ▁could ▁not ▁provide ▁the ▁width ▁required ▁at ▁the ▁hem ▁without ▁unw anted ▁bulk ▁at ▁the ▁wa ist ; ▁this ▁sp elled ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁brief ▁fashion ▁for ▁border - print ed ▁dress ▁fab rics . ▁ ▁He avy ▁sil ks ▁in ▁solid ▁colors ▁became ▁fashion able ▁for ▁both ▁day ▁and ▁evening ▁wear , ▁and ▁a ▁sk irt ▁might ▁be ▁made ▁with ▁two ▁bod ices , ▁one ▁long - s lee ved ▁and ▁high ▁neck ed ▁for ▁afternoon ▁wear ▁and ▁one ▁short - s lee ved ▁and ▁low - ne ck ed ▁for ▁evening . ▁The ▁bod ices ▁themselves ▁were ▁often ▁tri angular , ▁and ▁featured ▁a ▁two - pie ce ▁front ▁with ▁a ▁closure ▁and ▁a ▁three - pie ce ▁back ▁construction . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁de cade ▁progress ed , ▁sle e ves ▁narrow ed , ▁and ▁the ▁circular ▁ho ops ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 8 5 0 s ▁decre ased ▁in ▁size ▁at ▁the ▁front ▁and ▁sides ▁and ▁increased ▁at ▁the ▁back . ▁Loop ed ▁up ▁over sk ir ts ▁revealed ▁matching ▁or ▁contrast ing ▁unders kir ts , ▁a ▁look ▁that ▁would