Twain describes the hoopskirt to

Twain uses the hoopskirt as a humorous example of how people adopt opinions and fashions by following what others do. The point is not that the fashion is based on reason or that clothing itself determines a person’s impression; it is that people’s views are strongly influenced by social approval and imitation. So the best choice is “engage the audience with an amusing example of how opinions are influenced by others.”

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