Plural of crinoline; stiff petticoats or frameworks with hoops worn under skirts to make them stand out widely.
From French 'crinoline,' combining 'crin' (horsehair) and 'lin' (linen), referring to the stiff fabric originally made from horsehair and linen woven together.
Crinolines created those huge, gravity-defying skirts in the 1850s-60s, and they made practical tasks nearly impossible—women couldn't fit through doorways, sit in carriages comfortably, or move without an entourage, yet they remained wildly fashionable because looking impressive mattered more than comfort.
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