Petticoat Heck

To support my ballgown's fluffy train, I need a support. waaay more support than I think I realized. Boning?

 I've made up TV125's skirt supporting petticoat, which has a hidden panel of netting to give the skirt ooomph in the back without creating centaur butt. Here's how much panel you make.

Because I am insane, and wanted to hide scratchy seams, I encased each seam with hem tape. I have a redonkulous amount of hem tape that I inherited from a little old lady - why not use it on an 1879 petticoat? Even after this project, I still have a slightly less redonkulous amount of hem tape.

And because I am dim, I decided to do a single gather stitch along last ruffle. 5 widths of fabric I think. Yeah. Regretted than one. Moved gathers for like 2 hours because of that sharp idea of mine. Please Sewing Gods, hit me over the head with my own stupidity before I decide to gather that much fabric in one stretch.

The pattern is simple, a few narrow gores and a sandwiched back panel. With the panel the petticoat is so stiff it stands on its own. It gives the right shape for a tie back skirt, but doesn't flair dramatically in the back like the fashion plate. No one seems to make a pattern for a train support corset that doesn't have a bustle. And yes, I know period patterns are out there, I just didn't realize it was a possibility until after I'd started this never ending petticoat.

I have yet to do a waistband. The ruffles are box pleats, so I can iron them flat if they prove too fluffy. 3x ruffles, compared to the 2x the pattern called for. Edged in lace. I bought 40 yards of eyelet lace for the petticoat. Because again, I am insane. All seams are flat felled.

But my issue is the train supports. As you can see, it is quite fluffy bellow the knees in the back.  

I pinned some of my ruffle I have made up to the train support  to to get an idea. (no pictures, sorry!) And it was flat and lifeless compared to the bump you see in this picture. The petticoat trailed beautifully but it limply draped on the floor with little volume to support a skirt like this. Grated I've not made up all the ruffles, but maybe with an extra row of ruffles (pattern calls for 2) or and extra layer of ruffles under the train extension? Ooodles and ooodles of ruffles. Heavy ruffles.

So internet hive mind. Do I add more fabric layers or do I jury rig a few bones (hoop wire) into the back of that skirt panel?  I have put waaaaay too much time into this petticoat to scrap it, and it is just close enough to maaaaaybe work.