PANNIER (Fr. panier,

See also:

• LAT

Lat. panarium, a

See also:

• BASKET

basket for carrying

See also:

• BREAD

bread, panis)  , a basket for carryingebread or other provisions; more especially a broad, fiat basket, generally slung in pairs across a mule, pony or ass for transport . The term has also been applied to an overskirt in a woman's dress attached to the back of the bodice and draped so as to give a " bunchy " appearance . At various times in the history of costume this appearance has been produced by a framework of padded whalebone, steel, &c., used to support the dress, such frameworks being known as " panniers." At the Inns of Court, London, there was formerly an official known as a " pannier man," whose duties were concerned with procuring provisions at market, blowing the horn before meals, &c . The office has been in many of the inns long obsolete, and was formally abolished at the Inner Temple in 1900 . At the Inner Temple the robed waiters in hall have been called " panniers," and apparently were in some way connected with the officer above mentioned, but the proper duties of the two were in no way identical .