Remember This Unbelievable Trend? The Jaw-Dropping Secret That Had Everyone Talking — The Renaissance Bum Roll is Back!

🧵 What Is a Bum Roll?

Also known as a “bearbeit,” “hip roll,” or “French farthingale,” the bum roll was a padded accessory worn around the waist, just below the hips, during the Tudor and Elizabethan eras (1485–1603).

How It Worked:

Made from rolled-up fabric, horsehair, or stuffed linen

Tied with strings around the waist, positioned at the back/sides

Flared out skirts into a dramatic bell or dome shape

Created the illusion of wide hips and a tiny waist — long before corsets did all the work

🎯 Think of it as the original Instagram filter, but made of wool and pride.

👑 Why Did Women Wear It?

In Renaissance fashion, silhouette was everything.

Wide hips = fertility, wealth, status

A narrow waist = refinement and control

A full skirt = fabric = money

A bum roll helped achieve that iconic “hourglass-but-on-a-throne” look without stiff cages or complex structures.

And unlike later hoop skirts, it was:

Lightweight

Adjustable

Easy to pack (yes, ladies traveled with spare bum rolls!)

🖼️ Look at any portrait of Queen Elizabeth I — that gravity-defying skirt didn’t get there by magic.

It had help.

🔁 From History Books to Modern Runways: The Bum Roll Revival

You might’ve thought this trend died with Shakespeare.

But no.

Designers, costumers, and fashion rebels are bringing the bum roll back — reimagined for the 21st century.

Where You’ll Spot It Today:

High Fashion

Designers like Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, and Harris Reed use exaggerated hips in their collections — often inspired by historical shapes

Theater & Film

Period dramas (

Bridgerton

,