Madame de Pompadour in an elaborately embroidered gown with matching petticoat, 1760s

A petticoat or underskirt is an article of clothing for women; specifically an undergarment to be worn under a skirt, dress or sari. The petticoat is a separate garment hanging from the waist (unlike the chemise). Image for Madame de Pompadour Source: http://www. ... Image for Madame de Pompadour Source: http://www. ... Madame de Pompadour, portrait by François Boucher circa 1750 Madame de Pompadour (December 29, 1721 – April 15, 1764) was a well known courtesan and the famous mistress of King Louis XV of France. ... Clothing protects the vulnerable nude human body from the extremes of weather, other features of our environment, and for safety reasons. ... Image of a woman on the Pioneer plaque sent to outer space. ... For the types and styles of womens undergarments, see lingerie. ... A skirt is a traditionally feminine tube- or cone-shaped garment which is worn from the waist and covers the legs. ... For the city, see Sari, Iran. ... Fashionable young men in early 16th century Germany showed a lot of fine linen in a studied negligence. ...

• In historical contexts (sixteenth to mid-nineteenth centuries), petticoat refers to any separate skirt worn with a gown, bedgown, bodice or jacket; these petticoats are not strictly speaking underwear as they were made to be seen.
• in both historical and modern contexts, petticoat refers to skirt-like undergarments worn for warmth or to give the skirt or dress the desired fashionable shape. In this context a petticoat may be called a waist slip or underskirt (UK) or half slip (US), with petticoat restricted to extremely full garments. Petticoat can also refer to a full-length slip in the UK,^[1] although this usage is somewhat old-fashioned.
• Petticoat is the standard name in English for any underskirt worn as part of non-Western clothing, as with the sari.

Wedding - Bridesmaid in long gown A gown or evening gown is a womans evening wear, corresponding to mens formal wear for white tie and black tie events. ... A bedgown (sometimes bedjacket or shortgown) is an article of womens clothing for the upper body, usually thigh-length and wrapping or tying in front. ... Countrywomans bodice, 19th century A bodice is an article of clothing for women, covering the body from the neck to the waist. ... A jacket is a lightweight, sleeved thigh- or waist-length coat that may be worn by anyone, as jackets are now made for children, adults, the elderly, and even infants. ... A silky pink half slip A slip is a womans undergarment worn beneath a dress or skirt to help it hang smoothly and to prevent chafing of the skin from coarse fabrics such as wool. ... For the city, see Sari, Iran. ...

History

Woman of Wensleydale wearing a bedgown and petticoat, 1814

The practice of wearing petticoats as undergarments was well established by 1585. Petticoats were worn throughout history by women who wanted to have the currently fashionable shape created by their clothing. The petticoat(s), if sufficiently full or stiff, would hold the overskirt out in a pleasingly domed shape and give the impression of a smaller waist than the wearer actually had. It would also complement the desired large bust. Image File history File links Bedgown. ... Image File history File links Bedgown. ... 1585 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. ...

Elaborately decorated petticoats were worn under open-fronted gowns and looped overskirts from the mid-sixteenth century. Eighteenth century petticoats of wool or silk were often quilted for additional warmth and were worn with matching short gowns or jackets, which could be fashioned like a man's jacket with military details and trimmings. These ankle-length petticoats remained a rural fashion, especially in the UK, into the nineteenth century and are a part of Welsh national dress. This article is about the country. ... National dress is a type of clothing which identifies with a certain nationality or culture. ...

Elaborate, lacy petticoats were worn with elegant silk dresses in the eighteenth century in much of Europe and America, sometimes supported by whalebone frames. The Laurel and Hardy film adaptation of Auber's comic opera Fra Diavolo offers a glimpse of the intricate petticoats, corsets, and other underwear worn in the eighteenth century, especially in a scene where actress Thelma Todd prepares for bed, assisted by a maid. Colored pictures, called "fashion plates," were used to advertise the popular dresses and lingerie of the eighteenth century, a practice that continued through the nineteenth century until the introduction of photography around 1840. Laurel and Hardy, in a promotional still from their 1937 feature film Way Out West. ... Daniel François Esprit Auber (January 29, 1782 _ May 13, 1871), French composer, the son of a Paris print-seller, was born in Caen in Normandy. ... Fra Diavolo (lit. ... Hourglass corset from around 1880. ... A pair of mens briefs Undergarments, also called underwear or sometimes intimate clothing, are clothes worn next to the skin, usually under other clothes. ... Thelma Todd cigarette card Thelma Todd (July 29, 1905 – December 16, 1935) was a popular American actress of the late 1920s and early 1930s film. ... Photography [fÓ™tÉ‘grÓ™fi:],[foÊŠtÉ‘grÓ™fi:] is the process of recording pictures by means of capturing light on a light-sensitive medium, such as a film or electronic sensor. ...

In the early nineteenth century, dresses became narrower and simpler with much less lingerie. Then, as the waltz became popular in the 1820s, full-skirted gowns with petticoats were revived in Europe and the United States. By the mid nineteenth century, petticoats were worn over hoops, which were placed over other underwear, including a corset cover, a corset, and drawers. The popular novel Gone with the Wind provides considerable, detailed descriptions of these fashions. One scene in the 1939 film adaptation with actress Vivian Leigh gives a good idea of the layers of petticoats and underwear that were worn in the 1860s. A man modeling a pair of boxer shorts A pair of mens briefs Womens undergarments Undergarments, also called underwear, lingerie (undergarments for women), or sometimes intimate clothing and pants in British English are clothes worn next to the skin, usually under other clothes. ... For the film, see Gone with the Wind (film). ... Vivien Leigh (November 5, 1913–July 7, 1967) was an English actress who was born Vivian Mary Hartley in Darjeeling, India. ...

The sheer weight of the clothing, along with the tightness of the corsets, sometimes caused women to faint. The voluminous, layered Victorian petticoats were not worn to hide the legs, as twentieth century commentators later claimed; they actually enhanced the stylish figure in the centuries before female attractiveness was defined in large part by how much naked leg was revealed, as has been the case since 1960. Windsor Castle in Modern Times by Landseer depicts the Queen and the Prince Consort at home in the 1840s. ... The word nude may refer to: The state of nudity. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The use of multiple petticoats continued to be popular until the 1870s, when the bustle was introduced, resulting in a return of narrower skirts. Some full-skirted gowns with petticoats were revived in the 1890s into the early twentieth century, but most women continued to wear relatively narrow skirts. The "Gibson Girl" look with white blouses and long, narrow skirts were very popular at the turn-of-the-century. A USPS stamp depicting a Gibson girl. ...

Modern petticoats

For the first two decades of the twentieth century, multiple petticoats fell out of fashion; narrow, sometimes tight, skirts became more common. Then, in the late 1920s, chiffon dresses with several sheer petticoats became fashionable. With the Great Depression in the 1930s, narrow skirts returned and petticoats again were unpopular until the end of the decade when revived for some evening, prom, and wedding gowns. World War II, with its rationing and general shortage of materials, brought an end to petticoats. Chiffon is a sheer fabric made of silk or rayon. ... For other uses, see The Great Depression (disambiguation). ...

Petticoats were revived by Christian Dior in his full-skirted New Look of 1947 and tiered, ruffled, stiffened petticoats remained extremely popular during the 1950s, especially with teenage girls. Most of the petticoats were netlike crinoline, sometimes made of horsehair. Increasingly, nylon chiffon, taffeta, and organdy were used in petticoats. Many department stores carried an extensive variety of styles and colors of petticoats until the early 1960s. They were also available through the famous Sears and J.C. Penney catalogues. Typically, at least three single petticoats were worn, until manufacturers began making double and triple layer petticoats. A narrow slip was usually worn under the petticoats, especially the crinoline type, because they tended to be "scratchy".^[2] Christian Dior (January 21, 1905 – October 23, 1957), was an influential French fashion designer. ... For other uses, see New Look (disambiguation). ... Year 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... “Young Men” redirects here. ... Chiffon is a sheer fabric made of silk or rayon. ... Taffeta (sometimes spelled taffety) is a crisp, smooth woven fabric made from silk or synthetic fibers. ... Organdy is the sheerest cotton cloth made. ... Sears, Roebuck and Company is an American mid-range chain of international department stores, founded by Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck in the late 19th century. ... This article is about the department store chain. ...

Some magazines in the 1950s and 1960s gave glimpses of both petticoats and garter belts (Spick Magazine)

Famed designer Edith Head designed a number of gowns and dresses, supported by multiple layers of petticoats, for actresses such as Grace Kelly and Doris Day, who appeared in Alfred Hitchcock films in the 1950s.^[3] Dinah Shore frequently wore dresses with petticoats on her NBC television shows.^[4] Actress Connie Stevens, who appeared in television series and movies, said she wore petticoats as long as possible because she had wide hips.^[5] Other entertainers who often wore petticoats were Brenda Lee, Connie Francis, and Patti Page. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Edith Head on the cover of the book The Life and Times of Edith Head by David Chierichetti Edith Head (October 28, 1897 – October 24, 1981) was an American costume designer who had a long career in Hollywood that garnered her more Academy Awards than any other woman in history. ... Grace, Princess of Monaco née Grace Patricia Kelly (November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982) was an Academy Award-winning American film and stage actress who, upon marriage to Rainier III, Prince of Monaco in 1956, became Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, but was generally known as Princess... Doris Mary Ann von Kappelhoff (born April 3, 1924)[1] is an American singer, actress, and animal welfare advocate known as Doris Day. ... This article or section includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Dinah Shore (born Frances Rose Shore February 29, 1916 - February 24, 1994) was an American singer and actress. ... Connie Stevens Connie Stevens (born August 8, 1938) is an American actress and singer. ... Brenda Lee (born December 11, 1944) is an American pop singer, who was immensely popular during the 1950s and 1960s. ... August 2007 Connie Francis (born December 12, 1938 in Newark, New Jersey) is an American pop singer best known for international hit songs such as Whos Sorry Now?, Where The Boys Are, and Everybodys Somebodys Fool. // Born Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero in the Italian Down Neck or... Patti Page (born Clara Ann Fowler on November 8, 1927 in Claremore, Oklahoma) is one of the best-known female singers in traditional pop music. ...

By the middle of the 20th century, the full petticoat was somewhat rare, having been commonly replaced by simple, ungathered underskirts/waist slips (UK) or half slips (US). However, petticoats were still worn for proms and weddings. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999...

Ruffled white or unbleached cotton petticoats were a brief fashion under Prairie skirts in the 1970s, and remain a component of Western wear. Short, full petticoats in the 1950s style are also commonly worn by squaredancers. A prairie skirt is a American style of skirt, an article of womens and girls clothing. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... Gene Autry in the western wear typical of the singing cowboys of the 1950s. ... Modern Western square dance (also called Western square dance, contemporary Western square dance, or modern American square dance) is one of two types of square dancing, along with traditional square dance. ...

There was a major attempt to revive separate petticoats in 1987. However, by that time, most women who wanted very full skirts for proms, parties, or weddings bought dresses or skirts with attached crinoline petticoats.

Petticoats today

Lately the full, tiered petticoat has made a small comeback in the alternative subcultures, especially the gothic and Lolita subculture. They have also been popular with some cross-dressers. Various petticoats have also been used in films and musicals dealing with the 1950s, such as Grease, West Side Story, Peggy Sue Got Married, and Back to the Future, as well as occasional vintage rock music festivals, especially in Germany.^[6] Although the traditional purpose for the petticoat is no longer in fashion, the general design has stayed the same with minor alterations including ripping and/or the usage of bright or generally non-traditional colors. Gothic woman, traditional style, with big hair, spikes and piercings Gothic fashion is a dark, sometimes morbid, eroticized fashion and style of dress. ... A typical lolita in Harajuku, Tokyo. ... Man cross-dressing as a woman for a party. ... For the original stage musical of the same name, see Grease (musical). ... West Side Story is a 1961 film directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. ... Peggy Sue Got Married is a 1986 comedy / drama film which tells the story of a woman, on the verge of divorce, who finds herself transplanted back to the days of her senior year in high school. ... This article is about the first film in the Back to the Future trilogy. ...

Petticoats are also making a comeback due to recent trends towards lavish weddings and grandiose bridal attire. Petticoats are commonly worn under bridal gowns with full skirts as a means of maintaining the gown's intended silhouette. Manufacturers such as White Clover are updating the bridal petticoat and designing-out its historical shortcomings by using modern material such as Velcro, elastic and Spandex.

Also, people who dress in period costumes have began wearing petticoats for a more authentic look. A number of websites offer a great variety of petticoats for sale, while other websites show historic and modern photographs of petticoats, often worn by models.

The everyday use of petticoats in the 1950s and early 1960s appears to have passed. Most women today dress more simply and practically. Even dresses and skirts are not as popular as they once were, with many women regularly wearing jeans and shirts or pantsuits. However, there are women (and cross-dressing men) who still like the look of a dress or skirt with petticoats, as well as the use of corsets, girdles, or garter belts with nylon stockings instead of pantyhose. Comedian Amy Sedaris appears on television wearing a 1950s gown with multiple petticoats. This articles is about cross-dressing in general, that is the act of wearing the clothing of another gender for any reason. ... Hourglass corset from around 1880. ... The word girdle originally meant a belt (or metaphorically speaking, something which confines or encloses, as in Tolkiens Girdle of Melian). ... A white garter belt A garter belt with guipure lace Garter belt is a womans undergarment consisting of an elastic piece of cloth worn around the waist to which garters are attached to hold up stockings. ... A woman wearing pantyhose Pantyhose [Amer. ... Amy Sedaris (born March 29, 1961, in Endicott, New York) is an American actress, author, and comedian. ...

Also, the term "petticoat" has become synonomous with "p-coat" in modern usage.

Amy Sedaris wore a 1950s style gown with multiple petticoats on the David Letterman Show (CBS)

Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ...

Asian petticoats

A petticoat is the main undergarment worn with a sari. Sari petticoats usually match the color of the sari and are made of satin or cotton.[1], A notable difference between the western petticoat and sari petticoat is that the sari petticoat is rarely shorter than ankle length. For the city, see Sari, Iran. ...

References

1. ^ Oxford English Dictionary (1989) "A light loose undergarment .... hanging from the shoulders or waist"
2. ^ Interview by R.E. Nylund
3. ^ American Movie Classics
4. ^ www.youtube.com, NBC archives
5. ^ Interview with Connie Stevens, reported in www.pettipond.com
6. ^ www.pettipond.com

External links

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Petticoats

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