Ok you pervs, it’s not what you think it is!
A “Bum Roll” is an article of clothing that originated in the Renaissance. The “roll” which sat on the “bum” or butt was a crescent shaped padding with ribbons at either end that would be tied around the waist and worn under the skirt so that it enhanced the curves giving the wearer a bit of a “bump” in the “bum”. This accessory continued to be used in the upcoming centuries and morphed along the the changing female silhouette. Eventually, these “underpinnings” took on a life of their own becoming “paniers” in the 18th cc and then “bustles” in the 19cc. But the humble “Bum Roll” persisted; becoming one of the most practical accessories for the serious costumer.
A Bum Roll can adapt itself to achieve almost any type of silhouette from the High Renaissance to the 19th cc “Gilded Age” silhouette. It’s a versatile accessory for the serious costumer and practical too: there’s no need to resort to wearing a “cage” panier or a “cage” bustle when one can just as easily achieve the look by using these pads.
Let’s begin by examining the history of the “Bum Roll” and it’s progression through the centuries:
Renaissance Bum Roll
As you can appreciate here, this is the Bum Roll worn as it was originally intended, tied around the waist with the padding in the back. Towards the end of the 15th cc and beginning of the 16th cc, the Spanish Farthingale was all the rage. This was a skirt that was a simple cone and looked a bit severe, so the Bum Roll was introduced in order to give the Farthingale a bit of an “oomph”. As you can see from the image on the right, the back padding gives the wearer a more pronounced curve on the backside.
Panier Bum Roll
Now we travel into the 18th century. Wide hips were all the rage and women resorted to wearing something called the “Cage Panier” with was literally two structures in the shape of a semi circle cage that straddled either side of the hips. Well, this might have worked well if your name happened to be “Marie Antoinette” but for the rest of us mortals something a bit more practical was needed, so in steps the Bum Roll and this time it’s two rolls strapped on either sides of your hips. No one will know the difference unless they happen to look up your skirt!
Bustle Bum
As the late 1800s rolled around the ladies silhouettes began to once again take a life of their own. The “Cage Bustle” was invented and it was a type of collapsible caboose that once again served to bring attention to the backside of the wearer. Wealthy followers of fashion were able to commission fancy collapsible cage bustles that literally gave the appearance of a train caboose attached to the wearer’s butt. Once again, the Bum Roll to the rescue! Here we strapped two bum rolls and layered them on the back. Much more practical and comfortable than wearing a “cage”.
Wanna Buy a Bum Roll?
Our Bum Rolls are versatile, comfortable to wear and easy to maintain. They are made from from lightweight foam and batting then covered with 100% cotton. Just wash them in cool water/gentle cycle and air try. The dimensions are 6 1/2” W X 25”L. The widest point is 6 1/2” but it tapers off to 0” at the ends. Twill tape ribbons are attached so you can accommodate them to your waist circumference.
Buy a Single Roll for $20.00 or add a second Bum Roll to make a Pair for only $10.00 more ($30.00 total).
I strongly recommend purchasing them by the pair. You will be glad you did!
Shipping & Handling: $15 for a Pair.
Please Note: All orders are custom made. Please allow two weeks for your order to be fulfilled. Are you interested in a specific fabric or color? Need expedited shipping? We can do that! Email me at costumesbyantonia@gmail.com
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