Petticoats |

PetticoatsPosted by admin on August 6th, 2008

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).

* 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, 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.

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. 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.

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.

Also, people who dress in period costumes have begun 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 has appeared on television wearing a 1950s gown with multiple petticoats.

Click on the picture below for more information: