I now know why people tend not to look fat in Victorian photographs.

Victorian era dances are not only complicated, but also really physically tiring. Doing this stuff in a thick wool outfit is going to be a challenge, but it's the woments outfits that really make you wonder how anyone ever did this stuff.

My "era" is actually the 20's but there seems to be a dearth of that activity at the moment. I'll post pictures of me when it comes time to do this in dress up - I'll look like something out of Charles Dickens.