Underwear of the first half of the nineteenth century was made of linen, sometimes spun and woven at home. Commercially woven cotton did not come into general use until the middle of the century.
The main, and sometimes only, undergarment was the long chemise. It had short sleeves and a square gusset under the arms. The square neck often had a flap which folded down over the corset worn outside the chemise. A round neck and puffed sleeves were adopted in the 1860s and it was not until that time that chemises were sleeveless.
Corsets were made of sturdy cotton or linen and often had only cords sewn in for firmness. The corset shown here dates from the 1850s and is made of cotton. There are angled bones down the back, and at the edges which lace together. The bust gussets are boned and there is a slot down the centre front for a stay busk. This was a long piece of wood or whalebone to give support and aid posture.
The petticoat at the right, dating from the 1840s, has lines or cord woven in for added stiffness. When the crinoline came in at least one petticoat was worn over it.
Drawers were not generally worn until the middle of the century, except in winter. The draughty crinoline may have stimulated their acceptance. They were cut in two parts, one for each leg, and joined only by a waistband. These "divided" drawers continued to be worn into the first decade of the twentieth century although closed drawers, with the upper parts stitched together, had come in by the 1870s.
Underwear was untrimmed until the 1830s. After that, lace and embroidered trimming increased. All these garments are hand sewn.
