We’ve all seen it.
A beautiful period gown spoiled by a limp, dragging skirt. Besides good flatlining in that skirt, the use of petticoats can take that loose mess and make it a beautiful reproduction worthy of a fashion plate.
This is one of my biggest pet peeves (and one of the Biggest Mistakes) when admiring reproduction historical clothing – being able to tell where there is a shocking lack of petticoats. A woman may have the most beautiful gown, the correct silhouette, and fabulous accessories – but it can all fall flat if she doesn’t have enough (and I do mean that) petticoats.
One petticoat usually doesn’t cut it.
(I’ll let the “one” slide during the Bustle Era as a wired bustle with ruffles covering the wires is like the first petticoat. Throw just one more petticoat on top and you’re good to go in many instances.)
The worst offense is when a hoop skirt is worn. Have you seen a Civil War or 1860s skirt where a distinct wire row is visible about 6″ to 12″ above the hem? (yikes) Sometimes the row is seen even with a petticoat. That one petticoat is not enough! Obviously.
So I’ll shout: It really IS ok to wear multiple petticoats!!!
- They won’t hurt.
- Multiple petticoats are period correct.
- They make your costume SOÂ much better.
If you’re worried about adding to your waistline with several thick waistbands under your skirt, set the petticoat panels onto a yoke or set them all together onto one waistband. Brilliant!
The two early-1850s skirts below would not have that gentle bell shape without the use of multiple petticoats supporting them underneath. Like, several of them.
I just cringe when I see a fantastically made 1890s gown only to notice the skirt falling flat against the wearer’s legs (I’m guilty of this too.). Even if the skirt has all the proper panels, the full hem width, and stiffened hem facing, it won’t cut it for achieving that beautiful flared 1890s silhouette we love.
The problem is, simply, NOT ENOUGH PETTICOATS.
Listen. Our ancestors knew the secret to a fashionable silhouette. They knew that you won’t look the same with just a skirt about you, over your chemise and drawers. They knew the extra foundation skirts, cut just so, would show the world your fashionable eye.
And isn’t that what we are striving for? The fashionable silhouette?
So many problems can be solved by adding an extra petticoat – I challenge you to try it!
That airy ball gown skirt will stay put; the bell shape you desire will form; the cold air you feel will be dispelled; that train will lay flat…
Plain, corded, ruffled, trained, gored, tucked, paneled, shaped, tied – you name it. That extra petticoat or two could be the missing element of your costume. Give it a try!
What are your thoughts on petticoats? Please leave a comment below.
P.S. I love petticoats and have given you more resources to make them up. Take a look at my post on good fabrics to use for them and then how to starch petticoats when finished. If you’re new to historical sewing, my list of patterns will help – including many for you to create petticoats with. 🙂
Hallo again,
Here is only a little selection of my favourite movies settled in the 1860’s period. All these movies show dressing/undressing scenes with multiple petticoats, not just glimpses. Of course there are many other examples, but in my opinion the movies are representative for the era and give us a good idea about the complexity of womans fashion in those days. Modern film or tv production seem to be historicaly well researched, but in my opinion are reduced to a minimalized view on lingerie. Often only one and a very simple flat cotton petticoat or pontalon may be seen. So someone can get the impression that even the richest poeple spent not much money for their undies. Mens fashion is of course another chapter.
Raintree county 1957 – settled in the civil war era. Elisabeth Taylor is getting dressed with corset, pantalons, hoop skirt and a multiple layered organdy petticoat – historically quite accurate, but a little bit 1950’s stylish.
Bugambilia 1945 – settled in Mexico during the Juarista uprising. The heroine (Dolores del Rio) of an aristocratic class undresses with at least 3 petticoats of different style and fabric, hoop skirt and very elaborate bloomers. For my opinion this is the best dressing sequence i have ever seen in movies, quite superior to gone with the wind. Regretably
it was filmed in black an white.
Secrets 1924 – settled in the pre civil war Years. Norma Talmadge is getting dressed with chemise, pantalons, corset, hoop skirt and two petticoats. Later she undresses all that gear. Very inspiring for a silent movie.
Secrets 1930 – Plot is the same as above. This time Mary Pickford shows us some very elaborated and nice crinoline dresses, but only one undressing sequence with 2 petticoats, hoop skirt, pantalons ans chemise. good historical accuracy
Gone with the wind 1938, Antebellum and civil war era as background. Vivian Leigh as Southern belle in an iconic dressing up scene and later in an undressing scene at the barbeqcue. Very high historical accuracy for the gowns and the lingerie. Especially the ruffled Lace petticoats are stunning, not to mention chemises, corsets and pantalons.
Esclava isaura 2004 tv series, settled in Brazil during the 1860’s colonial exploitation. Many nice gowns and some interesting lingerie scenes. In chapter 91/3 Maria Ribeiro gets dressed with ruffled petticoat and hoop skirt, then laced up by her husband. Historical accuracy is questionable, because all the lingerie is done with white satin. I think that silk may be more correct for this era. But unregarded of this aspect, the scene is very delightful.
Three violent poeple 1956, settled immidiatly after the civil war, the plot plays in the american west. Though no hoop skirts are shown. The heroine shows us multi layered petticoats in several patterns, the spanking scene is breathtaking. Historical accuracy may be correct, because in the west, hoop skirts might have been unconfortable. So the flounced appeareance of the 1860’s dresses could be simulated by multiple petticoats as it had been before the hoop era.
The king and I 1956 (movie/musical), settled in the colonial 1860’s
Siam, Deborah Kerr as english governess shows us elaborated dresses, especially the golden ball gown. Though there are no dressing/undressing sequences, there are several upskirts and many flashes of multi layered petticoats, especially during the dancing scene (“Shall we dance?”). The western costumes seem to be historically accurate. I am not involved with siamese clothings so this had to be evaluated by another. The king an I topic is a source of endless musical adaptations worldwide and some other movie productions. There seems to be a very great fascination of that mixture
of exotic and historical costumery lasting to our days.
Greetings Ralf
Halli together,
during the past Years i developed great interest in the 1860’s period, its poeple, history and gowns. I am fascinated by the huge women’s gowns of this period. Especially i am inspired by those movies like Gone with the wind, Raintree county, the Sissy movies and many others. There are so many elaborated and aesthetic gowns. Only very few movies show us some glimpse of period lingery and especially very few dressing scenes with petticots. In some movies and many reenactment events i get the impression that petticoats are ommitted or are of so simple fabrications, that someone might think how sad and poor. Even an empress wears one simple spartanic petticoat over the hoop skirt. This is not correct for this period. Rich poeple, the nobles, citizens showed their prosperity in their gowns. That means a womanan wore several petticoat over her hoop skirts. These petticoats were not only made from cotton, they were also made of silk or organdy. They had several ruffles, had ornaments like sleeves, flowers and lace hems, or were made complete of lace fabtic. So said, i discovoured only one movie, which shows all these features in one dressing scene: Bugambilia (1945). You can see this wonderful film on Youtiube. I think 7they got it right for the fans of 1860 crinolines.
Yust another aspect which i find a little bit misleading. When we speak aoput fashion in this period, it is often called victorian fashion. In this time England/ Great Britain was indeed an important nation, but the crinolines/hoop skirts were not devoloped or introduced there. In reality the inspiration came from France and spread from there worlwide. The fashion styles predominated also the worldwide appereance of crinolines.
Greetngs Ralf
ADD THE PETTICOAT!!
I realize I am posting quite late, but I will add it anyway. I went back and re-read all the “Little House” books when I had daughters, and was surprised at how much I caught as an adult.
In the book “These Happy Golden Years” which details Laura’s late teens, courtship, and marriage to Almanzo Wilder, there is a scene in which she describes dressing for Church on Sunday morning. And remember, these were ladies on the *frontier. Yes,De Smet was a small “town”, and a railroad stop, but it was NOT St. Louis, either!
This would have been circa 1885, or so. She was born in 1867 and married at 18.
She describes putting on SIX starched * ironed * muslin petticoats, as. well. as. hoops* !!
Two under and four over the hoops as I recall.
The “hoops” were what we might call “crinolines”, dress shapers and bustle support, not the Civil War Era saucers. Laura, being a petite and sensible girl, “did not like a large bustle, and so buckled the tapes (of the bustle) in the front (of the crinoline), so the dress would fall smoothly”. Hoops. Plus six petticoats. And the dress. Hat and gloves. Shoes.
The next time you grumble at folding the laundry in your yoga pants, be grateful you do not need to sew, wash, *starch, and *iron 3-6 + petticoats for yourself and your mother and three sisters. Wool and quilted petticoats were winter staples. And this was done *before Charles traded a cow for a sewing machine for the family. $$$ 😵
ADD THE PETTICOAT!!!
LOL. Petticoats make all the difference. 🙂
I some time wear ladies fashion from 1910, skirt bodice and petitcoat, do reenactment of the era. most of the time I loan the costume.
Hi, bit new to this and for my A level Textiles I’m making Janet Arnolds patterns of fashion 2 1893 evening gown, the pattern says it would have been worn under a gored petticoat with frills, any recommendations on how many gores, what frills and if the one petticoat will do and any recommendations on patterns? Also its not stated in the book but I know that bustle pads where still common in 1890s would you recommend making one for the dress
sorry for throwing multiple questions at you, Thank you 🙂
General skirts of that decade had 5 or 7 gores, and petticoats could too, or they could simply be a front and back panel or three gores. With the wide flare silhouette of the 1890s, I recommend at least two petticoats. Frills (aka ruffles) were kept to the lower third of the skirt, or below the knee. Some had multiple, narrow ruffles while others a single, deep ruffle. You can see more on my Pinterest board. Petticoats became REALLY fancy in this era! Bum padding was still worn to smooth out the back of the skirt and help with the hem flare. The shape, thickness, and even IF it was worn would depend on the natural figure of the wearer and the attempt to achieve the fashionable silhouette. Best of luck with your project!
Thank you so much for this it’s a great help, I didn’t realised how much of a rabbit hall you can fall down for historical sewing
Oh, there are deep ones. Pick a topic and go! 🙂
Hello, how many petticoats would you suggest for an 18th century gown being worn in fall? I’ve been thinking about 4, with thicker stockings, but I totally think more could be worn (or less).
In my research, not a whole lot of under-petticoats were worn at that time. I’d recommend two: a quilted petticoat (for warmth) and one on top of that to smooth it out. Then your dress/gown petticoat on top. Sometimes you may only need that quilted one, but play with the silhouette, too. There’s no rules to follow.
Hi,
What would be the best petticoat pattern for Edwardian walking skirt please?
Thanking you in advance.
As a “cheat” method, you could use the skirt pattern for the petticoat and simply make larger seam allowances (to reduce the overall skirt width to lay better under the dress skirt. It will also depend on which years of Edwardian you are looking at. Early era (first years of 1900s) have a completely different skirt shape to later years (1909-1912). For early-to-mid years, try the Past Patterns one. Or go for the Truly Victorian petticoat for the slimmer silhouette.
Would it be ok to wear less petticoats in the summer? I’m making a crinoline costume for this summer and I’m wondering how many I should make.
Absolutely! It’s what our ancestors did to deal with warm weather. I like a good, light petticoat with ruffles for the summer. Use organdy for light weight and natural stiff support. 🙂
This makes sense! I have a gorgeous 1890s walking suit, but my skirt always seems to be showing my legs. I had on 2 petticoats.
Is there an 1890s petticoat style you may recommend?
Also, what is the best waist closure for them? I have 2 drawstring.
Slowly working on a new set of undergarments and a few really pretty petticoats are on the list.
And thank you for the amazing resources on the website here!
Thanks for reading, Julie!
The Truly Victorian 170 is a good base. Add a second layer to that wide, lower ruffle as you can see on originals. Be sure to starch them! That helps a lot.
Many original petticoats had drawstrings just at the center back to close or only in the back sections; the string or tape didn’t go around the entire waistband. A drawstring helps with waist adjustments/weight fluctuations. If you don’t want the bulk of a drawstring knot then set on a flat waistband, overlap and close with hook & eye sets.
Thankyou for this information
I had no idea about knit petticoats! That could make it easier to get the slim fit in the upper part of the skirt that gives oomph to the flare at the bottom. What about using lighter weight knits like cotton jersey for summer? Even if it wasn’t historically correct,it would be nice for costume wear!
I know one of the Norwegian national costumes may have seven – 7 – petticoats to get the right shape and stay warm in winter. It’s from the second half of 19th century (?) (1850-1900)
Yes, undergarments are VERY important, unfortunately I find it hard to find any reliable sources for exactly what was worn. Often I will just see references to “petticoats”, without mention of what type or how many.
I stumbled across this page looking for information on making my first bustle skirt, and see you have lots of useful information. Thank you! Also, if you know of any other good resources for underpinnings I would be happy if you would like to share.
We all see fashion plates for the wealthy but I wonder what the ordinary people wore. E.g. In the 1860s did the farmers wife wear a hoop and several petticoats. Or did they have just one petticoat?
Oh, multiple petticoats would have been worn. Poor women might even still be wearing a corded petticoat instead of a wired hoop. I briefly discuss this in my post here.