Professional Documents
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12-2016 Newsletter PDF
12-2016 Newsletter PDF
Member N e w s l e t t e r
Published quarterly by the Elizabethtown Preservation Associates, Inc. Winter 2017
Inside—
Dear Elizabeth –The History of Underwear!
Winter Activities!
Fun Findings in the Seibert Library!
Quilt Raffle update!
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Winters Heritage House Museum
though commonly a fashion piece, these
Dear Elizabeth were worn mainly by higher society.
Everyday people, such as yours truly, did
Our Historic Advice Column not have time or money for the frippery
The spirit of our town founder, Elizabeth as dictated by fashion. In the late 1800s,
Hughes, residing here from 1750 to corsets came under fire by physicians as
1760, offers her advice to our generation. a cause for many health concerns and
feminine weaknesses. Corsets did offer
If you have any advice needs from or a support to a lady’s bosom, and when they
history question for Elizabeth, please lost favor, ladies looked elsewhere for
send them to Dear Elizabeth, c/o Winters such benefits. In 1914, Mary Phelps
Heritage House Museum email;
Jacobs had her maid sew two
Winters-HH@ElizabethtownHistory.org handkerchiefs together with some ribbon
included were petticoats, which were and a cord. She patented the design and
skirts worn beneath outer skirts for is now credited with inventing the first
Dear Elizabeth, warmth. Men wore “long shirts” to sleep brassiere.
I was interested in your story about in and as a base layer to their daywear. By the 1910s, it became fashionable for
public restrooms a few newsletters Here then, is how the evolution of women to take part in sports such as
past, and am curious now to know underthings progressed. cycling and tennis, and “bloomers,”
more about undergarments. I was a bit invented by Elizabeth Smith Miller,
surprised that the colonials did not came on the scene. Similar to pantalettes,
wear underwear, as we know it today. The man’s apparel history is more brief but now more closed in the crotch area,
Apparently you have been hovering (pun intended, I fear) so I will start there. they allowed a lady to enjoy such activity
over Elizabethtown for a long time, In the man’s world, the union suit was while remaining modest should an upset
what do you know about the evolution perhaps the first undergarment occur. Perhaps ironically, French can-can
of underwear? commercially made, and came into its dancers were some of the first to usher in
own about the mid-1800s. This was a one this shift in ladies’ knickers.
-piece long sleeve cotton shirt and As hemlines rose through the 1920s,
Briefly Befuddled knickers suit with an access hatch for women began to wear taller stockings to
ease of use during time when that area cover their legs, and bloomers became
needed, well,…ahem…access. This shorter. When flappers danced onto the
Dear Brief garment preceded “long johns”, which scene, garter belts were invented to hold
was similar, but existed as separate top up their stockings. For the first time,
My, I am always impressed at how
and bottom pieces. Men’s modern lingerie became “sexy” as women’s
straight forward your generation is. Is
underwear made their debut in 1935, sexual awareness rose. By 1928,
there no subject too delicate for such
when Coopers, Inc., sold the first pair of Maidenform was manufacturing bras and
public discourse? I suppose I will
briefs, “the jockey,” invented by apparel the bloomers of yore were now shortened
dedicate my entire space here, today, to
designer Arthur Kneibler, in Chicago. and marketed as “step-ins”.
this subject as I have been engulfed with
These were similar to modern day
letters such as yours. Everyone wanting
“boxers”, but offered a degree of manly
to know about underwear makes my poor
support previously unattended to.
ghostly head spin! So there you have it; from corsets and
shifts to bras and panties in the span of
about 50 years or so! I bid my following
Ladies’ undergarment evolution began in might now rest easy knowing that their
First I will note that in my era (1760s)
France with the pantalettes in the mid- underthings are also a product of this
the word “underwear” referred simply to
1800s. These were basically a pair of modern era. Should you get underwear
undergarments – those items worn under
leggings or long drawers. They could for Christmas, perhaps it will now bring
the outer garments. There were no
either be made as a pair, or as one you a newly enlightened sense of joy.
panties or bras or boxers or “tighty
garment for each leg which tied at the
whities”, yet to speak of. Undergarments
included a lady’s “Chemise” or “Gown,”
waist, but in either case were left open Yours,
below for hygiene purposes.
which was worn for sleeping and also as
Corsets also evolved during this era,
Elizabeth
the initial layer of day clothing. Also
Celebrate the New Year in Downtown ‘Cross-My-Heart’ Quilt Raffle Soon to Close
Elizabethtown
The raffle quilt, hand stitched and donated by the Winters
Heritage House Museum’s Quilting Committee, will soon be off
to a new home with some lucky winner. The quilt is large enough
to serve as a great wall hanging, sofa throw, or small bed quilt.
The design is created by cross-stitched hearts on a white
background, with blue and yellow trim.
The raffle has raised $338 of the $400 needed to pull the winning
ticket. A good number of raffle tickets were sold during the
museum’s annual holiday craft show.
Raffle tickets can be purchased via phone, at the front desk, and
during museum hour. They are $1 each or 6 for $5. The winning
ticket will be pulled when the raffle goal is met.
Thank you for supporting the museum!!
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