Please, explain me what "rub bustles" means. Thank you.
Context.

Isabel replayed the morning’s events in her mind. She wasn’t
sure but she thought that maybe she and Pansy had rubbed
bustles outside the Duomo. Perhaps it was an overenthusiastic
response to the Eucharist, but she just couldn’t fathom it. She
cursed her American naiveté. What she needed was some
sound advice from someone urbane, someone who understood
these peculiar European customs.

Question

Please, explain me what "rub bustles" means. Thank you.
Context.

Isabel replayed the morning’s events in her mind. She wasn’t
sure but she thought that maybe she and Pansy had rubbed
bustles outside the Duomo. Perhaps it was an overenthusiastic
response to the Eucharist, but she just couldn’t fathom it. She
cursed her American naiveté. What she needed was some
sound advice from someone urbane, someone who understood
these peculiar European customs.

Answer

Peachey is right. I would  also say that "she and Pansy had rubbed bustles" = that she and Pansy had bumped into each other with the backs of their dresses.

Answer

A bustle is the framework used to spread out a lady's dress. You'll see this in period movies and dramas.

"Rub bustles" means an encounter of some kind: they were close enough that their bustles could (literally) rub.  I'm not sure what this implies, but reading a little more would make it clear.

Answer

It's a parody of the novel "The portrait of a lady". Thank you for your answer.

Answer

Can you provide the context?  What is the era of the writing? Seems to be 19th century?  As the answer below says, a bustle is a frame inside a dress to make it spread out - if two people 'rub bustles' they have encroached on each others personal space, trodden on each others toes, irritated each other.

Answers · 7

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