Pantaloons OR Pantalettes

[Joyce "Delfinia DuSwallow" Howard]

Can someone please tell me the difference? Are they tight fitting or do they fit like bloomers? Many thanks in advance, I love all the knowledge on the boards.

[Lady Catherine]

I see pantalettes as a short version of pantaloons. I have seen them many many ways. pantaloons, at least in Civil war fashion, are a little more stream-lined, but still loose. They do not usually have elastic at the bottom, but are straight down to below the knee. If they are period correct, they are split-crotch. Yay for breeze!!

I usually think of bloomers as loose, gathered at the knee with elastic or drawstring. I may be WAY off, someone please tell me if i am!

[Joyce "Delfinia DuSwallow" Howard]

LC, it was your picture that made me ask the question, your garb is beautiful! So,theres no elastic at the bottom of yours?

[Stasiakatt]

If you look the definition up, pantaloons are a men's pants and pantalettes are a female/child's drawstring underwear with ruffles at the ankle.

[Anna Iram]

Yeah, I guess if you went with defintions bloomers would be any sort of undergarment, and pantaloons is a type of trouser  but for faire sake I think of bloomers as the ballon shaped leg with elastic cuff..can be short or long..and I think of pantalettes as a mid calf to ankle length...more like a fancy pajama cut with lots of frou frou at the bottom. Oh so very French.

[operafantomet]

Yes, as Stasiakatt wrote, the pantalette is the "small" version of pantaloons.

Usually when you bump into the suffix "-ette" in a noun, name or adjective, it means that it's a smaller version of the original word. One example is the French name "Annette", which means "Little Anne", or "Jeannette" meaning "Little Jeanne". Or "cigarette", which is a small cigar. 

[Lady Catherine]

wpah! thank you operafan! That is generally what i picture using the -ette suffix!  I just use it to term mine as small!

Lady joyce Ann!! thank you sooo much!  Actually, I do have elastic at the botttom of mine, to prevent the "Bottom" from showing!

[Anna Iram]

Lady Joyce Ann, just because I want to know everything there is to know about a subject... I did a little more reading on the various terms. I don't have the links just now, but it does seem to be a very involved topic. I found it fascinating anyway. Bloomers seems to have arisen from a type of gown and legging that was very volumnous, and first worn by Mrs. Bloomer and pantalettes were actually a leg covering worn over and buttoned to your drawers,and meant to be seen as a part of your outerwear, though possibly they were worn singly as drawers themselves. Drawers being the accepted term for undies because you drew them on.

*edited* here's a couple of links:
http://www.fashion-era.com/rational_dress.htm
http://howtodresslikeapioneer.blogspot.com/2010/04/are-they-pantaloons-pantalettes-drawers.html

Anyway...thought you might find that as interesting as I.

Catherine, do you have a picture.of your pantalettes? I'd love to see what you've made.

[Joyce "Delfinia DuSwallow" Howard]

Thank you Anna,very interesting! I also would love to see a picture of LC standing in her garb. The outfit has really caught my eye!

[Lady Catherine]

i will fish one out, but I am at my dad's this evening, and do not have it readily avaiable...

I will try this to see if you all can access my fb pictuires, i think i have them open to the public.

ahhh, here is without the overskirt so you can see better:  http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=1588707654&aid=14734#!/photo.php?fbid=1548091554076&set=a.1095231232851.14734.1588707654&theater

walkling:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=1588707654&aid=14734#!/photo.php?fbid=1521778936277&set=a.1095231232851.14734.1588707654&theater

[Lady Catherine]

well, it works, but opens ALL my faire pics! feel free to peruse, but the courtesan look is neear the bottom!

[Adalia Lee]

I adore the courtesan look, but I have to know-where did you get your shoes for that look? They are adorable!

[Lady Catherine]

actually, goodwill!! never again will i be so lucky!

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

Pantaloons and  Bloomers are common names for Under Drawers. Worn from the Elizabethan times, into the 20th Century.

[Joyce "Delfinia DuSwallow" Howard]

Thank you all,I have enjoyed all the input. Now for the pantalettes.