Petticoats

[Lady Ellie]

How long should they be?   Say skirt is 43 inches, should petticoat be 40 inches ?

I really haven't had the occasian to wear one too often.  And said petticoat is a plain cotton with a ruffle around hem.

Thanks to all the ladies for their help.

[McGuinness]

Are you using a hoop skirt or something more like the tulle petticoats used for wedding and formal gowns? Is your garb a noble's gown or more peasant-y?

In my experience, the hoop skirt (with noble's garb) or the petticoats (from my bridal consultant days) should be slightly shorter than the gown so it doesn't show but still gives the right shape. I don't know of any specific guidelines for length though. I suppose it depends on the type of "petticoat" you are using, the garb on top of it, and the look you're going for. I'm sure the seamstresses on here might have some more specific ideas...?

[Lady Ellie]

Going for a wenchy-peasant look this time. I've got a tulle petti and am going cotton this time.

[Syrilla]

Like other said, depending on your look and what you are wearing over them... a petticoat could be as short as 5" off the ground or as long as your skirt to help protect the outer skirt fabric.  "Period" Were pleated or padded at the waist skirts.  Not the ruffled hemed skirts we see now.  A great petticoat for peasant to middle class wear is a corded petticoat.  I normally wear one under my queen gown and it 5" + shorter than my skirts.  For safety sake.

[Lady Rebecca]

I have a standard petticoat that I wear with any long skirt (regardless of the era). It's a three-tiered, floor-length light pink cotton, with each tier gathered into the one on top, and an elastic waistband. Depending on the length of the skirt I'm wearing, I just pull it up higher on my waist, and my bodice holds it there. It's not anything that can be seen from the outside. And for faire, I wear it over my farthingale, for extra fullness. It's probably the most useful thing I've ever made.