In the mid 1870’s, much fuss was made

about the bustle by cartoonists and serious fashion experts as it was a very notable feature of fashion.  The real fashion statement defining the mid 1870’s though was the amount of trim, ornament, and “things” piled on top of “monuments known as bonnets” according to a fashion magazine of the time.

(1878 bonnets & trims and Bonnets of 1884 with copious trims)