![Visite (coat) from silk and beaver fur (1885)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Visite_%28coat%29_from_silk_and_beaver_fur_%281885%29.jpg)
A visite is a specific type of woman's outer garment similar to a
mantle or
wrap
Wrap, WRAP or Wrapped may refer to:
Storage and preservation
* Gift wrap or wrap paper, used to enclose a present
* Overwrap, a wrapping of items in a package or a wrapping over packages
* Plastic wrap, a thin, clear, flexible plastic used to co ...
. It was particularly popular in the late 19th century, being specifically designed to accommodate the then fashionable
bustle
A bustle is a padded undergarment used to add fullness, or support the drapery, at the back of women's dresses in the mid-to-late 19th century. Bustles are worn under the skirt in the back, just below the waist, to keep the skirt from dragging. ...
.
The visite replaced the huge
shawl
A shawl (from fa, شال ''shāl'',) is a simple item of clothing from Kashmir, loosely worn over the shoulders, upper body and arms, and sometimes also over the head. It is usually a rectangular or square piece of cloth, which is often folded ...
s that had previously been worn over large
crinoline
A crinoline is a stiff or structured petticoat designed to hold out a woman's skirt, popular at various times since the mid-19th century. Originally, crinoline described a stiff fabric made of horsehair ("crin") and cotton or linen which was ...
skirts, combining shawl and coat elements, and was even on occasion made using shawls that were valuable but no longer fashionable.
References
{{fashion-stub
Robes and cloaks
1870s fashion
1880s fashion
Coats (clothing)