Yes, they would but there are some “rules” to this. For a cotton dress use cotton or silk to trim. I wouldn’t recommend a cotton overskirt over a silk underskirt, but you might get away with the other way around if you trim the cotton underskirt with the same silk you use for the bodice. Cotton sateen is a nice compromise as it’s got a sheen and will blend better with silk. If you have a linen dress, don’t trim in silk but in linen or cotton. And don’t trim a silk skirt, ever, with cotton. If a silk dress, trim with silk. Wool dresses can have silk or cotton trim but take note that the cotton used is not inferior. Hope this helps!

Hi Linda – Good for you on making your first historical costume! It’s so much fun. Good luck with yours. For flatlining, read this article. It pertains to bodices but the idea is the same for skirt panels. You will flatline each panel separately with an underlining fabric then treat it as one piece for the rest of construction.

You are thinking correctly! The foundation skirt for a bustle dress, also called the underskirt, is the first long layer of the dress worn right on top of the petticoats. It can be worn alone or topped with various overskirts and aprons. It can also be made from a base fabric such as the twill cottons I mention here then a fancy fashion fabric flatlined on top.