Hidden history

 Interesting Facts -  The two-seater upholstered benches we now associate with cozy couples were initially crafted with another duo in mind: a woman and her dress. In 18th-century Europe, fashionable attire had reached voluminous proportions. Panniers (a type of hooped undergarment) were all the rage, creating a wide-hipped silhouette that occasionally required wearers to pass through doors sideways. Of course, not all women wore such full skirts; some historians believe the average woman of modest means owned just four dresses with narrower profiles meant for everyday work. But upper-class women with funds to spare on trending styles adopted billowing silhouettes that often made them unable to sit down comfortably (or at all). Ever astute, furniture makers of the period caught on to the need for upsized seats that would allow women with such large gowns a moment of respite during social calls.