Sooooooo as asked @misseccentric here is a post about undergarments (I think I’ll make another one for men’s undergarments later!). Basically are 5 garments (pug not included) that we consider “undergarments” and after a woman was dressed with them she was… well, ready to get dressed (I know, WTF).
1. Shift
Also known as chemise, the shift was the very first layer of clothing for a woman of any class, worn with nothing underneath (no underpants darlings!) it was usually made of white linen (the whiter the finer and more expensive) and it could have simple and discreet lace or very small riffles on the neckline and cuffs. The main function of the shift was to protect the clothing from the body, since daily bathing was not customary (eeewww), that’s why there are not many surviving garments (double eeeeww).
2. Stays
Stays are what people usually call “corset”, but back in the 17th century they were called “body” or “boned body and in the 18th century “stays” or “pair of stays”. Their main purpose was to shape the upper body in a conical form and to support the bosom, so it is not a constrictive garment more than one of support. Most women wore stays of different boning and materials depending on their social and economical situation, but in vague shape and style the stays of a woman from the upper class and the ones from the house maid were not that different from each other. Made of linen, wool or silk they were reinforced with whalebone or cane.
3. Pockets
A pocket (or a pair of them) was tied around the waist since actual pockets stitched to the garments didn’t happen until the 19th century. They could be of plain linen or be beautifully embroidered (even though no one would see them) and have a rather big size since they should hold all the necessities of a woman (think about all a girl would carry in her purse nowadays).
4. Paniers and Bums
The hoops or paniers were also made of linen and reinforced with whalebone or cane. The biggest expression of this garment happened at the court, where even if in the fashionable dress big panniers were no longer in fashion, they kept appearing through the whole century. The hoops are a key for the century silhouette in combo with the stays: the curve-less upper body was the perfect contrast with the big bottom that had volume only on the sides of the dress. That is until the bustle became fashionable.
The bustle (bums, rumps or culs),came as a substitute to the huge panniers and they were only small hoops or pads of different sized and shapes that added volume to the hips, both on sides and back (VERY Georgiana Cavendish).
5. Stockings and Garters
Stockings then and now are pretty much the same in shape but not in materials since they could be made of woven as well as knitted silk or wool. My favourite part of 18th century stockings is the over-the-top decoration and the bright colours these people wore (and here I am with a closet full of black and grey clothes!). Since (obviously) there was no spandex back in the day, you had to use garters (ribbon or tape) to keep the stockings in place, and of course those must have a little colourful party too with embroideries, gilded threads, knitted materials, satin colours and phrases and monograms.
A reblog because undergarments info is always welcome 🙂
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