petticoat

petticoat, in modern usage, an underskirt worn by women. The petycote (probably derived from the Old French petite cote, “little coat”) appeared in literature in the 15th century in reference to a kind of padded waistcoat, or undercoat, worn for warmth over the shirt by men. The petticoat developed as a piece of women’s apparel—a skirt worn under an overgown—at the end of the Middle Ages. By the beginning of the 16th century, the overgown had an inverted V opening, and the petticoat, now visible, was brocaded or embroidered.

In the 17th century the outer skirt was looped up prominently, showing the petticoat underneath, and in the 18th century the petticoat figured prominently with the inverted V opening of the popular polonaise. In the early 19th century, women wore many petticoats, bound together, to show the great fullness of the skirt. By the 1850s, however, these voluminous petticoats had been abandoned for the more comfortable crinoline (q.v.). In about 1900, when skirts became less full, the petticoat was visible only when a woman lifted her dress—as when crossing the street. Thereafter, petticoats became increasingly less important and were worn only as undergarments.