An open pair of cotton drawers in the style of the 1840's  (but dated late 1850s to 1860s), with delicate whitework embroidery, sewn on a chain stitch machine.

We complete our series on making sense of the many layers of underpinnings in the Natural Form Era (1876-1882).

This month we look at what to wear over the corset and under the dress, as well as appropriate fabrics and embroidery.

Bonus DPP article from YWU

A utilitarian but essential part of the Medieval wardrobe, researched and recreated on a modern body.

The underwear situation in the Natural Form Era was.... complicated!  Ladies had an outfit for every situation and time of day, and underwear to go with it. To further add confusion, the "Dress Reform" movement was at its height: its main focus was on changing corsets and what was worn underneath them, all in the name of health. 

So what did women wear under their dresses?  It all depends on a variety of factors.  I'll walk you through all the different layer options starting from the skin out, with variations in necklines and politics. Next month I'll complete the layers and show you how to combine them. Bonus DPP article from YWU

Some underwear is easy to date by the cut or the decoration, other items are almost timeless. 

This month I share with you a knitted silk undervest with a crocheted yoke that could date anywhere from 1880 to 1910. The eBay seller I purchased it from described it as a "vintage tank top", but ladies in the Victorian and Edwardian age would have recognized it as a vest or an undervest.

In the 16th and early 17th Centuries the term "hose" was used for garments belonging to both men and women.

In this article we will investigate the history and construction of lower hose: netherstocks, stockings, and boot-hose. Then we'll drape, pattern and sew our own with a combination of machine and handstitching.

Marion shares a linen chemise circa 1879 from her collection.The chemise is simple in construction with delicate hand embroidered eyelet work around the neck, minute white threadwork buttons, and an eye-opening combination of machine sewing and delicate hand stitching.

If you're looking to get a head start on your Natural Form Era undies, you can't miss this!

When the Napoleonic period began, it brought along a massive shift in the cultural view of undergarments.  What was once taboo, rarely discussed and often joked upon came out from hiding, along with the natural female form.

Suddenly, undergarments were not only a topic of discussion for the fashionable, but were actually acceptable to glimpse in public - and it became necessary to keep the world from glimpsing too much.

Sunny concludes her exhaustive study of six Belle Époque petticoats by comparing the remaining construction details and techniques to the instructions in various Belle Époque sewing manuals.

The result is enlightening (and freeing) if you get hung up on trying to make all the details “right”. You’ll be able to see just how varied the methods were for basic things (like constructing a ruffle or inserting a placket) and be able to relax and sew your petticoat with confidence.

In the last two months I talked about the different decorative techniques used to trim Belle Époque petticoats (here and here); now I will discuss the different factors that combine to create the shape of the skirt, and the petticoats that support it. Patterns of the six petticoats are included this month.

There are many factors that affect the shape of the skirt, and I will be discussing all of these in this article, particularly as they relate to the six 1890-1910 petticoats described here. Next month I will be talking about the basic sewing techniques (plackets, seam finishes, etc.) that were used in these six petticoats.

To continue from last month’s article, I will be talking about the decorative techniques in the six 1890-1910 petticoats described here.

Last month I talked about tucks and lace insertion.

This month I’ll be talking about embroidered insertion, lace edging and embroidery. Next month I’ll talk about the construction of the six petticoats.

If you're familiar with our sister site, you'll know all about Sunny's extraordinary articles in which she studies antique garments in minute detail with hundreds of detailed photographs. Here she looks at six late Victorian and Edwardian petticoats, studying the methods used to produce the beautiful embellishments so that we can either recreate our own historically accurate underthings to accompany our corsets - or take them somewhere more avant garde...