Different Types of Petticoats

Petticoats are worn underneath dresses to add more fullness and shape to it. There are a few different styles. Here are just a few.

Hoop Skirt – A hoop skirt adds a bell shape to a dress. The hoop of the skirt are made out of lightweight steel, plastic or nylon. This allows easier movement, and won’t weigh the girl down.

Hoop skirts are best used for ball gowns or large a-line gowns. They are usually made out of cotton or polyester material. Hoop skirts can be difficult to sit down with, so practice moving around in a hoop skirt before attending the event to make sure you don’t show off more of your legs than you are want.

The Crinoline – Manufacturers tend to refer to any undergarment as a crinoline. A crinoline is an undergarment that is made out of a few layers of tulle or net to add fullness to skirts or dresses. Crinoline is usually made with flexible hoop wires.

It does not have to have hoops, however, to add fullness because of the many layers of net or tulle being used. Crinoline is most often used to add volume to a ballgown, though shorter style crinolines can be used on other dresses such as 50’s poodle skirts. Be careful when wearing crinoline undergarments that use Velcro around the waist because it can catch on your dress or skirt.

Petticoats – There are a lot of different styles of petticoats as well. Petticoats can be made out of a variety of materials, which include cotton, nylon, tulle, and netting. They can be very full underskirts, or have only a hint of fullness.

Their fullness depends on how full you need the dress to be. Petticoats come in a variety of styles and colors. They are often worn with classic poodle skirts and 50’s dresses. They are a popular choice to wear over hoop skirts so the hoops do not show through the dress.

Slip – Slips are usually needed for sheer dresses for modesty. They are not used often today but they are there to stop dresses from tucking in between your legs as you walk around. Slips work best with tighter fitting dresses, or dresses that do not need additional volume.

Hip Hop 50’s Shop specializes in Children and Adult Poodle Skirts, crinoline slips, saddle oxford shoes and complete 50’s costumes. We are passionate about Sock Hops and the 1950’s, so our experts share tons of advice and tips on our blog. Come visit anytime.