History of Sewing - Exploring the Use of 1920s Foundation Linings

In reading about the use of foundation linings in the 1920s, such as the camisole lining (also called a bodice lining), the built-up lining (also called a plain-waist lining), and the close-fitting lining, there is a consistent mention of "attaching a skirt to the lining". This is particularly in the case of two-piece dresses which have tops of the overblouse style or a bloused effect, and where skirts (since they frequently rest at the hips or below) need a foundation of some kind to keep them in place.

Here is an image of a skirt attached to a long-waisted camisole lining, with blouse removed. This was common because so many of the popular blouses and sweaters were of the overblouse type. Attaching the skirt to a lining provided a nice straight line.

It was considered smart (especially if the skirt was not of a washable fabric) to have the lining made so that it could be removed and washed. Snaps on the bottom of the lining and the band of the skirt was a recommended method. Hooks-and-eyes were also a popular method. These methods allowed the lining to be removed and replaced with a minimum of effort. Often the foundation lining would be made in a similar color or trimmed with lace so that the overblouse could be sheer, or so that an overblouse could even be omitted when worn under a sweater.

Very often a pattern for a camisole lining was included with the pattern for the dress with which it was to be used. The lining can be easily cut without a pattern, however.

1920s "sports skirts" with the blouse worn "bloused"

Several years ago, The Vintage Dressmaker blogged about 1920s clothing construction and included a discussion of the foundation linings. My thanks to her for the following three images, which are from her most informative post.

 A two-piece dress from the 1920s:

The same dress with the blouse removed, showing a drop-waist camisole lining with the skirt attached.

This image is a built-up foundation waist lining with front closing.

 In her post, the Vintage Dressmaker links to the Detroit Historical Museum website (source for the following two images) as a further resource for examples of foundation linings.

When you remove the blouse of the two-piece dress (above), the built-up waist foundation lining is revealed. Note how the skirt is attached with hooks-and-eyes to the built-up waist lining.

Mysteries of 1920s foundation garments revealed! :) A major improvement over corsets, don't you think?

History of Sewing - 1920s Foundation Garments - Waist Linings

In the 1920s, foundation garments were grouped into two main categories: waistline foundations and lining foundations. The topic of this post is to provide an overview of the lining foundations. And just to be clear, in general, foundation garments is not the same as lingerie, which is a different subject (although when we get into slips, the two subjects blur...).

Waist linings serve as both a protection to a dress (though particularly across the shoulders) as well as a means of holding a dress in its correct position, and as a foundation to which a skirt may be attached.

There are three general types of waist linings:

• Camisole or bodice lining
• Built-up or plain-waist lining
• Close-fitting lining

The camisole lining is simplest to make and was considered optimal for young girls and slender women (and also provides a dainty effect under sheer garments).

The built-up lining is preferable for the woman who is size 42 or larger.

The close-fitting lining is essential for dresses that fit closely on figures of all types, and for many types of dresses intended for the "stout" figure.

For one-piece dresses of sheer fabric (as opposed to two-piece dresses), the lining (regardless of type), should be extended to the full length of the dress as a slip, so as to eliminate a conspicuous break at the waistline.

I'll look more closely at the construction of these 1920s foundations garments in future posts.  Something to look forward to. :)

History of Sewing - Introduction to 1920s Foundation Garments

You know that the women of the 1920s obtained freedom from dreadful corsets with stays of whalebone and tight lacing. What you may not know is that they did not abandon "foundation garments" altogether.

There were several types of women's foundation garments in the 1920s. The foundation garment served to retain the correct lines in a garment. Which foundation garment was worn depended largely on the specific lines of the garment and the material of which it was made.

The foundation garments were grouped into two general classes: waistline foundations and lining foundations.
Waistline foundations consisted of two types:

• Inside stay belts
• Fitted hip yokes

 Lining foundations consisted of four types:

• Camisole or bodice lining
• Built-up or plain-waist lining
• Close-fitting lining
• Foundation slips

In future posts, I will delve into more details about these undergarments. Stay tuned!

In Search of Style - 1940s Camisole - An Understudy of Undergarments

Let's look at lingerie from the 1940s!

In search of a cute camisole, a seamstress in the late 1940s took this wonderful 3-page clipping about camisoles, petticoats, and other undergarments from a magazine and slipped it into a pattern for camisoles.

The first image shows a lacy camisole with a ruffle at the waistline and a separate deeply ruffled petticoat:

The 2nd page pictures a pert rayon plaid petticoat with a pretty ruffle, along with a drawing of a lightly boned bra (can you imagine?!) and a matching "waistliner" (corset).

The 3rd page illustrates a camisole and separate petticoat in embroidered eyelet. Equally interesting are the other lingerie items featured - a "revolutionary" bra with seamless molded cups, a very long line bra, and a "waistlet" (corset).

And here is the pattern, McCall 1423 from 1948, which seems to me to be a near-perfect match on all counts! :)

Here is a closer look at the camisoles in the clippings for easier comparison with the pattern.

So delicate and feminine!