Description:
Petticoat made of white, plain weave cotton with a corded and tucked hem and shoulder straps. This utilitarian garment's rare survival shows the close association undergarments of a period had to the fashionable silhouette it supported. By about 1820, women's skirts became increasingly full. Petticoats like this example with a double insertion of cording at the hem helped to bulk out a skirt's silhouette. Along with two horizontal tucks, the cording also helped to weigh down the hem for a proper drape with the otherwise very lightweight cotton fabric. This undergarment has a high waist to correspond to fashionable womens' outergarments at this time. The practical choice of cotton meant that it was affordable and washable.

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https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+2007.17.4

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