The History of Underclothes Read online

  THE HISTORY OF

  UNDERCLOTHES

  C. WILLETT AND PHILLIS CUNNINGTON

  DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC.

  New York

  This Dover edition, first published in 1992, is an unabridged, slightly corrected republication of the work first published by Michael Joseph Ltd, London, in 1951.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Cunnington, C. Willett (Cecil Willett), 1878–1961.

  The history of underclothes / C. Willett and Phillis Cunnington.

  p. cm.

  Originally published: London : M. Joseph, 1951.

  Includes bibliographical references and index.

  ISBN-13: 978-0-486-27124-8 (pbk.)

  ISBN-10: 0-486-27124-2 (pbk.)

  1. Underwear—Great Britain—History. I. Cunnington, Phillis Emily, 1887- . II. Title.

  GT2073.C8 1992

  391′. 42′0941—dc20

  91-48049

  CIP

  Manufactured in the United States by Courier Corporation

  27124214

  www.doverpublications.com

  CONTENTS

  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

  INTRODUCTION

  I. MEDIEVAL PERIOD

  II. 1485–1625

  III. 1626–1710

  IV. 1711–1790

  V. 1791–1820

  VI. 1821–1840

  VII. 1841–1856

  VIII. 1857–1866

  IX. 1867–1882

  X. 1883–1896

  XI. 1897–1908

  XII. 1909–1918

  XIII. 1919–1939

  BIBLIOGRAPHY

  APPENDIX

  INDEX

  ILLUSTRATIONS

  CHAPTER I (page 21)

  1 (a). Shirt without vents. 15th century.

  (b). Shirt with vents. 15th century.

  (c). Shirt without vents. 14th century.

  (d). Shirt with Braies. 15th century.

  2. Braies caught at the knee with running string in girdle, c. 1250. From MS. Trinity College, Cambridge.

  3. Braies with upward curve in front. 13th century.

  4. Short Braies. Late 15th century. St. Sebastian in Henry VII’s Chapel, Westminster Abbey.

  5. Loose Braies. Early 14th century. From Psalter in Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.

  6 (a). Pouched Braies tied with a bow. First half of the 15th century.

  (b). Braies tied at the knee.

  (c). Short Braies. Late 15th century.

  7. Countryman in Braies. 14th century.

  8. Braies turned up straight and hitched to Braie girdle, c. 1250. From Sloane MS. in British Museum.

  9. Woman’s Smock, c. 1400.

  10. Laced-up Bodice resembling Stays. 12th century.

  CHAPTER II (page 34)

  11. Shirt and Collar. After Pieter Brueghel, c. 1567.

  12. Necks and Cuffs, 1523–38. After Holbein.

  13. Shirt with low Collar and small frill, 1531. H. S. Beham.

  14. Shirt and Camicia, late 16th century. Metropolitan Museum, New York.

  15. Embroidered Linen Drawers. Late 16th century. Metropolitan Museum, New York.

  16. Chemise. After Holbein, 1541–3.

  17. Chemise. After Holbein, 1543.

  18. Chemise. Flemish, 1529.

  19. Bum-rolls. From an engraving, 1600.

  CHAPTER III (page 53)

  20. Certificate of burial in Wool, 1707.

  21. Shirt worn by James, Duke of Richmond, 1612–55. Whitworth Gallery, Manchester ; and Shirt and Drawers from the effigy of Charles II, Westminster Abbey.

  22. Shirt, c. 1635. From Lodge’s engraving of James, Duke of Richmond, 1612–55.

  23. Shirt and Cravat (Charles, Duke of Shrewsbury), c. 1690.

  24. Nightclothes. From an engraving, 1646.

  25. Chemise, 1678–80. From Lely’s portrait of Elizabeth, Lady Oxenden.

  26. Shirt worn by Christian IV of Denmark, d. 1648, Rosenborg Slot, Copenhagen.

  27. Linen Chemise, c. 1700 or earlier. Gallery of English Costume, Manchester.

  28. Sir Thomas Aston at the death-bed of his wife, 1635. City Art Gallery, Manchester.

  CHAPTER IV (page 68)

  29. Shirts. Cricket on the Artillery Ground , Woolwich, by Francis Hayman, R.A. Sir Jeremiah Colman, Bart.

  30. Man’s Shirt, French, c. 1750. Union Française des Arts du Costume.

  31. Chemise, after 1740. Gallery of English Costume, Manchester.

  32. Shirt. From the bust of L. F. Roubiliac by himself. National Portrait Gallery.

  33. Shirt and Steinkirk. Effigy of Sir R. Jennens, d. 1722, Acton Church, Suffolk.

  34. Shirt. Bust of Sir Edward Walpole by L. F. Roubiliac, 1735. Photograph lent by Mr. E. Esdaile.

  35. Man’s Toilet, showing Calf-pads. Etching by Lewis Marks, c. 1796–1800.

  36. Corset, Chemise and Underskirt. French, c. 1780. From Le Musée Galant du 18ème Siècle.

  37. Woman’s Habit-shirt, showing link-holes. Early eighteenth century. Sanderson Collection, City Art Gallery, Leeds: and Woman’s Habit-shirt, c. 1780. City Museum, Hereford.

  38. Interior of Corset, showing the reinforcement, c. 1777; Corset and Separate Stomacher, 1730–40; Corset of white flowered silk, c. 1770. Nordiska Museet.

  39. Corset showing back-lacing, c. 1770. Gallery of English Costume, Manchester.

  40. Blue Linen Panniers, c. 1740, and Hooped Petticoat opening at the back, c. 1740–50. Nordiska Museet.

  41. Hooped Petticoat Support in bent wood, c. 1750.

  42. Bustles. From an etching, 1787. British Museum.

  43. Woman’s Underskirt, c. 1770. City Museum, Hereford ; Woman’s Underskirt, c. 1780. Union Française des Arts du Costume.

  44. Nightclothes. From an engraving by Choffard, after Baudovin, 1782.

  CHAPTER V (page 96)

  45. Wedding Shirt, c. 1795–1805. Castle Museum, Norwich ; Man’s Shirt, dated (18)13. City Art Gallery, Leeds.

  46. Footed Long Drawers, 1795. Victoria and Albert Museum ; Man’s Dickey, c. 1820. Nordiska Museet ; Flannel Drawers, c. 1805. Worn by Thomas Coutts. Victoria and Albert Museum.

  47. Male Corsets. Tight Lacing. Engraving, c. 1815.

  48. Patent Bolsters. Etching dated 1791.

  49. An Operatic Singer, showing the Chemise. From an engraving, 1798.

  50. Woman’s Drawers in knitted silk, 1810–20. Nordiska Museet ; Woman’s Drawers of Lawn, worn by the Duchess of Kent, c. 1820. Gallery of English Costume, Manchester.

  51. Woman’s Toilet, showing corset with bust support. Etching by Lewis Marks, c. 1796–1800.

  52. Woman’s Corset. A Little Tighter. From a caricature by Rowlandson, 1791.

  53. Damp Sheets, showing nightclothes and corset. After Rowlandson, 1791.

  CHAPTER VI (page 120)

  54. Man’s Shirt, marked and dated 1827, worn by George IV. The Castle Museum, York ; Man’s Shirt, dated 1823. Gallery of English Costume, Manchester; Man’s Day-shirt, c. 1815–25. Victoria and Albert Museum.

  55. Chemise, dated 1825; Princess Petticoat, c. 1820; Nightdress, dated 1825. Gallery of English Costume, Manchester.

  56. Woman’s Habit-shirt, pleated and tucked, c. 1830–40. Castle Museum, York.

  57. Pantalettes, dated 1834. Victoria and Albert Museum.

  58. Bustles: top pair, early 19th century; the lowest, dated 1833. Gallery of English Costume, Manchester.

  59. Woman’s Nightcap, c. 1819–33. Gallery of English Costume, Manchester.

  60. Bustles, 1829. After Cruikshank.

  CHAPTER VII (page 135)

  61. Men’s Collars, Cravats, and Shirts, c. 1850: (a) Carlisle, (b) Frith, (c
) Phelps. (d) Gladstone, (e) Shee, (f) Brougham.

  62. Man’s Shirt, 1850–60. City Museum, Hereford.

  63. Man’s Drawers in pink silk stockinette, c. 1850. City Museum, Hereford.

  64. The Gorget patent adjusting Shirt and Elliptic Collar, 1853.

  65. Crinoline Petticoat, c. 1840–50, and Chemise, dated 1849. Gallery of English Costume, Manchester; Woman’s Camisole with back-fastening. Welsh Folk Museum, St. Fagan’s Castle. Courtesy of the National Museum of Wales.

  66. Corsets, 1844–66. English Women’s Clothing in the Nineteenth Century. Courtesy of Faber & Faber.

  67. The Bustle, 1844. After Daumier.

  CHAPTER VIII (page 152)

  68. Man’s Evening Dress-: hirt, 1850–60. Gallery of English Costume, Manchester; Man’s Evening Dress-shirt, c. 1860–70. Victoria and Albert Museum.

  69. Evening Dress-shirt, Collar and Tie by Welch, Margetson and Co., c. 1860.

  70. Embroidered Braces, c. 1850, and Man’s Night-cap, 1800–20. Gallery of English Costume, Manchester.

  71. Crinoline Hoops. W. S. and C. H. Thomson, 1861.

  72. Crinolines, 1863, 1869, 1873. From English Women’s Clothing in the Nineteenth Century. Faber & Faber.

  73. Crinolines. From Cupid and Crinolines, 1858.

  74. Woman’s Drawers, c. 1860–70; and Petticoat with broderie anglaise Border. Gallery of English Costume, Manchester.

  CHAPTER IX (page 169)

  75. Jaconet Under-Bodice. From The Young Englishwoman, 1876.

  76. Red Flannel Chemise, with stockinette hem and wrist; and Red Flannel Drawers, c. 1880. Wenham Historical Society, Wenham, Massachusetts.

  77 (a). Longcloth under Petticoat, 1873.

  (b). Crinolette for Trained Dress, 1873.

  (c). Jaconet Underskirt with Train. From The Young Englishwoman, 1876.

  (d). Underskirt, 1879. From The Milliner and Dressmaker.

  78. Corset. From The Milliner and Dressmaker, 1879.

  79. “Canfield” Bustle, c. 1888. From English Women’s Clothing in the Nineteenth Century. Faber & Faber.

  80. Nightdress, 1870–80. Victoria and Albert Museum; Petticoat, c. 1880. Gallery of English Costume, Manchester.

  CHAPTER X (page 184)

  81. Shirts. From The Tailor and Cutter, 1883.

  82. The New ‘Court’ Shirt, by Welch, Margetson & Co., 1883.

  83. Shirt Forms. From The Tailor and Cutter, 1889.

  84. Man’s Scarlet Vest, by Welch, Margetson & Co., 1883.

  85. Man’s Jaeger Nightgown, early 1880’s.

  86. Jaeger Complete Sleeping Suit, 1885.

  87. Jaeger Women’s Sanitary Combinations, 1885.

  88. Jaeger Corset, 1886.

  89. Bust Improver, c. 1896. Gallery of English Costume, Manchester.

  CHAPTER XI (page 200)

  90. Man’s pink and black striped Drawers, c. 1900. Victoria and Albert Museum; Man’s Shirt, striped in green, black and white, with attached collar, c. 1900. Private collection.

  91. Tennis Shirt, 1907. From The Tailor and Cutter.

  92. Man’s Dickey with ‘Shakespeare’ Collar, c., 1905. Gallery of English Costume, Manchester.

  93. Man’s Pyjamas. Jaeger, 1899; and Man’s Pyjamas in pure striped silk. Peter Robinson, 1902.

  94. Man’s Vest and Drawers. Aertex, 1906.

  95. Underskirts and Corsets. From New Album, 1906.

  96. Belt Corset. Jaeger, 1899.

  97. Silk Tricot Corset. London Corset Co., 1904.

  98. Princess Petticoat by Charles Lee, 1907.

  CHAPTER XII (page 219)

  99. Man’s United Garments, and Man’s Under-vest. From Jaeger’s trade catalogue, 1914–15.

  100. Nightdress, Chemise and Drawers. Walpole Bros. Ltd., 1911.

  101. ‘Nuform’ Corset. Weingarten Bros., 1911.

  102. Corset with shoulder straps and suspenders. Harrods, 1918; Boudoir Cap and Lingerie. Thresher’s, 1918.

  103. Underskirt, John Barker, 1916.

  104. Fleecy-Lined Knicker. From Morley’s catalogue, 1912.

  105. ‘Shot’ Knicker. From Morley’s catalogue, 1912.

  106. Chemise and Drawers. Thresher’s 1918; Combinations and Pyjamas, and Camisole and Petticoat. Civil Service Supply Association, 1918.

  107. Merino Finish Spencer. From Morley’s catalogue, 1912.

  CHAPTER XIII (page 234)

  108. Man’s Evening Dress-shirt, with Marcella Front. Austin Reed Ltd., 1938.

  109. Singlet and Shorts. Jaeger, 1935–6; Man’s Unit-suit. Jaeger, 1936–7; Man’s Pyjamas. Jaeger, 1929–30.

  110. Brassière and Drawers. From Butterick Quarterly, 1927; Cami-knickers. Woollands, 1926.

  111. Corsets. Royal Worcester, 1921.

  112. Bathing Corset. Marshall and Snelgrove, 1922.

  113. Charnaux Corset, Belt and Caslis Brassière, 1933.

  114. The Two-Way Stretch Corset and Brassière. Warner Bros. (Corsets) Ltd., 1933.

  115. ‘Frillies for the Tiny Lady’—Waist Petticoat, Camisole and Knickers. Dickins and Jones, 1939; Combinations in silk and merino. Dickins and Jones, 1934; Nightdress in all-silk satin. Dickins and Jones, 1939.

  116. Cami-knickers in Crêpe-de-Chine. Marshall and Snelgrove, 1922.

  117. Woman’s Cami-knickers in Georgette. Steinmann, 1928.

  118. Woman’s Luvisca Pyjamas, 1924. Pyjamas from Butterick Quarterly, 1927.

  APPENDIX

  119. A Sture Shirt, 1567. Uppsala Cathedral.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  FOR permission to examine specimens of garments, trade catalogues and old records, and to obtain photographs; for technical information generously supplied, and for help in our researches, we are specially indebted to:

  The British Museum; the Victoria and Albert Museum; the National Museum of Wales; the Belfast Museum; the Castle Museum, York; the Castle Museum, Norwich; the City Museum, Hereford; the Holly Tree Museum, Colchester; the Gallery of English Costume, Manchester; the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester; the Wenham Art Society, Massachusetts, U.S.A.; L’Union Franêaise des Arts du Costume, Paris; Nordiska Museet, Stockholm; the Rosenborg Slot Museum, Copenhagen; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the Dean and Chapter, Westminster Abbey.

  The Tailor and Cutter, Men’s Wear, The Drapers’ Record, The Outfitter, Corsetry and Underwear.

  Messrs. Debenham & Freebody, Dickins & Jones, S. Simpson, Austin Reed, Hope Brothers, Welch Margetson & Co., Jaeger & Co., I. & R. Morley, Warner Brothers, Lillywhites, the Kettering Clothing Society, Atkinsons of Dublin, Tootal, Broadhurst Lee & Co., Charnaux Corset Co., Drew & Son of Bath, Newey Brothers of Birmingham.

  The Essex Records, Chelmsford.

  Messrs. Faber & Faber for permission to reproduce illustrations from English Women’s Clothing in the Nineteenth Century. Executors of the late Mrs. Esdaile and the Oxford Press, for permission to reproduce an illustration from The Life and Works of Roubiliac.

  We have also to thank those whose family records have supplied us with valuable information, and we owe much to Miss Phillipson for her drawings, and to our secretary, Miss Coleman, for her careful revision of the text.

  Introduction

  IN the many books on period costume the subject of underclothes has seldom been treated adequately, if, indeed, at all. Yet we cannot appreciate the significance of the outer form unless we understand the nature of the supporting garments beneath. The complete costume is a combination of the two, producing, very often, a shape singularly unlike that of the human body.

  For this the undergarments may be mainly responsible. The historian must regard it as unfortunate that underclothes are so generally associated with eroticism, often to a pathological extent; and it may well be that writers have hesitated to expand on a topic which might suggest that their interest is of that nature.

  It is perhaps sufficient for the authors of the present book to claim, as doctors, that they approach the subject in a scientific spirit, surveying impartially the various aspect
s of this subsidiary—though important—element in the art of costume.

  The book deals with the underclothes worn by both sexes in this country during the last six centuries.

  Though for the most part such garments have had a utilitarian function the fact that they may have also served an erotic purpose is frankly recognized as a social phenomenon. It seems strangely prudish to pretend (as some writers appear to do) that various garments have not been so employed; or to shrink from perceiving the influence which the sexual instinct has exerted upon the coverings of the body. We regard it as an obvious commonplace.

  Underclothes have had—and still have—an important ‘psychological’ interest. To understand this aspect we have to view them in the spirit of their epoch. Thus, in the days of Victorian prudery the human body was so concealed that some of its erotic attraction was transferred to its coverings, which became a matter of furtive preoccupation. When such words as ‘trousers’ and ‘drawers’ were thought indelicate because they recalled the fact that men and women had legs, it was inevitable that almost any concealed garment should have acquired erotic properties, though it may be a little difficult to perceive it in specimens of the period now starkly exhibited in a museum case.

  In more remote times that kind of transferred eroticism was less common, but to-day we are still in the backwash of Victorian prudery. For though that former reticence, which shrouded the subject in mystery, seems, at first sight, very unlike the modern attitude, there is a psychological affinity.

  Feminine underclothing, for instance, now claims to be ‘amusing,’ and is given playful nicknames—or pet names—with an air of coy audacity which betrays (to a psychologist, at least) an erotic prudery still lurking about them. Such illusions are sufficiently grotesque to be worth recording.

  In our survey the sources of information for the earlier centuries are extremely scanty. We have to rely on chance references by contemporary writers, and these, by modern standards, were not always ‘refined.’ We have, however, preferred to quote textually rather than to bowdlerize this kind of information.