18th Century Women's Undergarments
Shift / Chemise:
#1700L01
$30 to sew + materials
cotton, linen, silk
+$20 ruffles/lace on cuffs
+$20 ruffles/lace on neckline
The chemise, or shift is the basic women's undergarment from the middle ages to 1900. For most of the 18th century the shift had a drawstring neck and a hem at mid-calf or just below the knees. Sleeves come in a variety of styles: full or fitted; short, elbow, 3/4 or long, with fixed cuffs or drawstrings (drawstring not available on long sleeves). Ruffles or lace can be added to the neck and sleeves.
Our shifts have a triangular side gore & square sleeve gore. All seams are finished on the inside. All machine sewn.
Hooped Petticoat:
#1700L02
Half $60
Full $100
Cane / metal banding
90” - 120”
1700-1800. Made with 4 hoops, twill tape ties and a semi-fitted waistband. Several styles available. I highly recommend an underpetticoat as it will add stability & comfort.
Measure over your stays.
(Pictured here is a 1/2 hoop with 2 bones & padded pocket slits. Ties on the inside give it shape. It is open in the back, closes & adjusts with drawstrings).
Waist size: X-Small 20", Small 30", Medium 40", Large 50", XL 60".
*some assembly required to avoid freight shipping charges.
Paniers: 
#1700L03
basket paniers $40
oval paniers $30
Basket paniers can be made into large pockets or left open at the bottom. Please specify.
Oval paniers fit around your waist like a disc. You may want to add hip or bum pads to help support them (not always necessary).
All paniers are made from our choice of materials.
Again, I highly recommend wearing an underpetticoat with these to add comfort & stability.
Waist size: X-Small 20", Small 30", Medium 40", Large 50", XL 60".
Stays:
#1700L04
Lightly boned
back or front lacing $200
back and front lacing $225
Fully boned
back or front lacing $275
back and front lacing $300
18th century stays or corsets are lightly or fully boned and create a conical shape, while flattening and lifting the bustline. There are two main styles of stays in the 18th century.
The first are formal stays, which are cut very high in back and have shoulder straps to limit mobility and ensure perfect posture and great bust support.
The second are working stays, which are cut lower in back and have removable or no shoulder straps. These allow for greater mobility and provide excellent lower back support.
Stays were considered so essential to a women's wardrobe that there were charity funds throughout England and the Colonies to provide women with stays. The term "loose woman" refers to prostitutes who left their stays unbound, or women too poor to own stays.
Our stays are made from linen, cotton, silk or wool. Lined with linen or cotton. Interlining depends on the outer fabrics. Hand finished binding of linen or cotton; leather binding + $40. Hand sewn eyelets. Boning is cane; metal & plastic are extra.
Stays can be 1/2 corded 1/2 boned. They do not give as much support as fully boned stays, but still shape the body to the perfect 18th century silhouette. Priced as fully boned stays.
Any outer fabrics over $5.00/yd are extra.
Jumps:
#1700L05
$50 to sew + materials
+ $50 for handsewn buttonholes or eyelets on center front & sleeves.
Jumps are soft, front-lacing stays that were worn during manual labor like washing or farming, in very rural areas, or when a woman was pregnant. They have 4-6 bones, two in the front and two along the sides, and sometimes 2 in back. Sleeves can be laced on or left off entirely. Our jumps always come with sleeves. Spiral or cross lacing, please specify.
Bum / Hip pads:
#1700L06
Start at $20 to sew + materials
Hip pads were a poor or working woman's solution to paniers, and were worn for informal occasions by wealthy women. They add some extra volume to the hips without getting in the way of washing, cooking or gardening. They can tie around the waist or to strings/eyelets on the gown or stays.
Bums or Cork Rumps were worn under English Gowns and several other dresses to add volume to the posterior of the skirts.
Set on a sized waistband.
Waist size: X-Small 20", Small 30", Medium 40", Large 50", XL 60".
Our pads & bums are stuffed with cotton filling.
Under Petticoat:
#1700L07
$40 to sew + materials
+$20 for decorative hem + materials.
cotton, linen, silk, wool, other
Waist size: X-Small 20", Small 30", Medium 40", Large 50", XL 60".
Our petticoats are made from 2 or 3 panels of fabric (2 1/2 to 3 yds.) with a fitted or semi-fitted waistband to help reduce bulk. The fabric is pleated into 2 waistbands with ties at the waist. All petticoats have pocket slits on the sides.
Petticoats can be worn under the stays for warmth, and for modesty when wearing hoops. Under-petticoats were made from warm, utilitarian fabric. Sometimes a decorative hem was added to match or complement the outer petticoat and gown.
To tie a double waistband petticoat: pull up the back band and tie around your waist. Then pull up the front band like a bib and tie it in the back, or if the ties are long enough, bring it around your waist and tie in front. This makes it one-size-fits-most, allows you tighten or loosen your stays and gives you access to your pockets while preserving modesty.
Quilted Petticoat:
#1700L08
Starts at $150 to sew + materials (3" latticework machine quilting)
$10/hr. hand quilting.
$5/row of cording.
Semi-fitted waist size: X-Small 20", Small 30", Medium 40", Large 50", XL 60".
Quilted petticoats can be made from wool, linen, cotton or silk. They are made from 2 or 3 panels with a fitted or semi-fitted waistband and 2 pocket slits. Fitted waistbands button or close with large hooks & eyes. Semi-fitted waistbands tie in front & back like standard 18th century petticoats.
90" - 120" at the bottom. Will depend on fabric width, quilting and shrinkage after washing.
We use cotton or military wool batting and line it with flannel, cotton or linen. Quilted petticoats can be worn as undergarments or outer garments.
Diamond pattern quilting was the most common and is the most affordable. Leaf-motif quilting was the next most common and price will depend on the complexity of the design. Elaborate quilting showed off the skill of the maker. Both designs kept the lady warm.
Corded Petticoat:
#1700L09
$100
Semi-fitted waist size: X-Small 20", Small 30", Medium 40", Large 50", XL 60".
Corded petticoats are soft and add a gentle volume to skirts. They work well for garments from 1500-1850. The corded petticoat has cording in rows from the hem to mid-thigh, or 18" - 20". We also offer a lightly corded version (shown here with 19th century 1/2 bust corset). 18th century corded petticoats are un-starched.
18th Century Women's Undergarments
Shift / Chemise:
#1700L01
$30 to sew + materials
cotton, linen, silk
+$20 ruffles/lace on cuffs
+$20 ruffles/lace on neckline
The chemise, or shift is the basic women's undergarment from the middle ages to 1900. For most of the 18th century the shift had a drawstring neck and a hem at mid-calf or just below the knees. Sleeves come in a variety of styles: full or fitted; short, elbow, 3/4 or long, with fixed cuffs or drawstrings (drawstring not available on long sleeves). Ruffles or lace can be added to the neck and sleeves.
Our shifts have a triangular side gore & square sleeve gore. All seams are finished on the inside. All machine sewn.
Hooped Petticoat:
#1700L02
Half $60
Full $100
Cane / metal banding
90” - 120”
1700-1800. Made with 4 hoops, twill tape ties and a semi-fitted waistband. Several styles available. I highly recommend an underpetticoat as it will add stability & comfort.
Measure over your stays.
(Pictured here is a 1/2 hoop with 2 bones & padded pocket slits. Ties on the inside give it shape. It is open in the back, closes & adjusts with drawstrings).
Waist size: X-Small 20", Small 30", Medium 40", Large 50", XL 60".
*some assembly required to avoid freight shipping charges.
Paniers:
#1700L03
basket paniers $40
oval paniers $30
Basket paniers can be made into large pockets or left open at the bottom. Please specify.
Oval paniers fit around your waist like a disc. You may want to add hip or bum pads to help support them (not always necessary).
All paniers are made from our choice of materials.
Again, I highly recommend wearing an underpetticoat with these to add comfort & stability.
Waist size: X-Small 20", Small 30", Medium 40", Large 50", XL 60".
Stays:
#1700L04
Lightly boned
back or front lacing $200
back and front lacing $225
Fully boned
back or front lacing $275
back and front lacing $300
18th century stays or corsets are lightly or fully boned and create a conical shape, while flattening and lifting the bustline. There are two main styles of stays in the 18th century.
The first are formal stays, which are cut very high in back and have shoulder straps to limit mobility and ensure perfect posture and great bust support.
The second are working stays, which are cut lower in back and have removable or no shoulder straps. These allow for greater mobility and provide excellent lower back support.
Stays were considered so essential to a women's wardrobe that there were charity funds throughout England and the Colonies to provide women with stays. The term "loose woman" refers to prostitutes who left their stays unbound, or women too poor to own stays.
Our stays are made from linen, cotton, silk or wool. Lined with linen or cotton. Interlining depends on the outer fabrics. Hand finished binding of linen or cotton; leather binding + $40. Hand sewn eyelets. Boning is cane; metal & plastic are extra.
Stays can be 1/2 corded 1/2 boned. They do not give as much support as fully boned stays, but still shape the body to the perfect 18th century silhouette. Priced as fully boned stays.
Any outer fabrics over $5.00/yd are extra.
Jumps:
#1700L05
$50 to sew + materials
+ $50 for handsewn buttonholes or eyelets on center front & sleeves.
Jumps are soft, front-lacing stays that were worn during manual labor like washing or farming, in very rural areas, or when a woman was pregnant. They have 4-6 bones, two in the front and two along the sides, and sometimes 2 in back. Sleeves can be laced on or left off entirely. Our jumps always come with sleeves. Spiral or cross lacing, please specify.
Bum / Hip pads:
#1700L06
Start at $20 to sew + materials
Hip pads were a poor or working woman's solution to paniers, and were worn for informal occasions by wealthy women. They add some extra volume to the hips without getting in the way of washing, cooking or gardening. They can tie around the waist or to strings/eyelets on the gown or stays.
Bums or Cork Rumps were worn under English Gowns and several other dresses to add volume to the posterior of the skirts.
Set on a sized waistband.
Waist size: X-Small 20", Small 30", Medium 40", Large 50", XL 60".
Our pads & bums are stuffed with cotton filling.
Under Petticoat:
#1700L07
$40 to sew + materials
+$20 for decorative hem + materials.
cotton, linen, silk, wool, other
Waist size: X-Small 20", Small 30", Medium 40", Large 50", XL 60".
Our petticoats are made from 2 or 3 panels of fabric (2 1/2 to 3 yds.) with a fitted or semi-fitted waistband to help reduce bulk. The fabric is pleated into 2 waistbands with ties at the waist. All petticoats have pocket slits on the sides.
Petticoats can be worn under the stays for warmth, and for modesty when wearing hoops. Under-petticoats were made from warm, utilitarian fabric. Sometimes a decorative hem was added to match or complement the outer petticoat and gown.
To tie a double waistband petticoat: pull up the back band and tie around your waist. Then pull up the front band like a bib and tie it in the back, or if the ties are long enough, bring it around your waist and tie in front. This makes it one-size-fits-most, allows you tighten or loosen your stays and gives you access to your pockets while preserving modesty.
Quilted Petticoat:
#1700L08
Starts at $150 to sew + materials (3" latticework machine quilting)
$10/hr. hand quilting.
$5/row of cording.
Semi-fitted waist size: X-Small 20", Small 30", Medium 40", Large 50", XL 60".
Quilted petticoats can be made from wool, linen, cotton or silk. They are made from 2 or 3 panels with a fitted or semi-fitted waistband and 2 pocket slits. Fitted waistbands button or close with large hooks & eyes. Semi-fitted waistbands tie in front & back like standard 18th century petticoats.
90" - 120" at the bottom. Will depend on fabric width, quilting and shrinkage after washing.
We use cotton or military wool batting and line it with flannel, cotton or linen. Quilted petticoats can be worn as undergarments or outer garments.
Diamond pattern quilting was the most common and is the most affordable. Leaf-motif quilting was the next most common and price will depend on the complexity of the design. Elaborate quilting showed off the skill of the maker. Both designs kept the lady warm.
Corded Petticoat:
#1700L09
$100
Semi-fitted waist size: X-Small 20", Small 30", Medium 40", Large 50", XL 60".
Corded petticoats are soft and add a gentle volume to skirts. They work well for garments from 1500-1850. The corded petticoat has cording in rows from the hem to mid-thigh, or 18" - 20". We also offer a lightly corded version (shown here with 19th century 1/2 bust corset). 18th century corded petticoats are un-starched.