The mid-nineteenth century lady was a vision of elegance and grace in beautiful gowns lavishly trimmed with frills, flounces, lace, braid, fringe, ruche and ribbons. Numerous heavy petticoats, layers of underclothes, metal hoops, tight corsets under-pointed boned bodices of whalebone and steel were hidden by an array of ornately accented undersleeves, collars, pelerines, fans, gloves, hats, and parasols. The finished look was of elegance and grace with an illusion of ease and comfort.