Revealing history: A closer look at the history of lingerie

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PITTSFIELD GT;GT; Fashioned from muslins, satins, silks and lace, the lingerie of the Victorian woman was intricately designed, but rarely seen.

Crafted with straps, hooks, buttons and ties, its purpose was focused on shaping the female form into a pleasing silhouette.

“Women from this era were like Russian nesting dolls. You’d never know how many layers there were, as everything fit just right. The corset cover was designed to fit over the corset, as was the chemise, the petticoat, the hoop skirt, and the many other layers,” said Lynda Meyer, antique fashion expert and owner of Lynda’s Antique Clothing Loft in Adams. “For a 60-year period, from 1840 to 1900, this fashion was embedded in the psyche of how to be a woman. A woman who went without a corset was considered a loose woman.”

While women’s undergarments were seldom seen by anyone other than the wearer and possibly a lady’s maid, the items are now admired for the craftsmanship that went into their creation and for the glimpse they give historians into past societal norms. Hundreds of pieces have made their way into the collection of the Berkshire Historical Society, which makes its home at Herman Melville’s Arrowhead, giving local historians and visitors a rare look at local life.

Beginning Feb. 13, the historical society will take an extensive look at its collection of “unmentionables” with the exhibit, “Closer to the Skin — A Revealing Look at Lingerie.”

“This collection affords us the opportunity to talk about Berkshire County’s history and even differences in social class in an unique way. We can look at how industry and war changed society as well,” said Betsy Sherman, executive director of the Berkshire Historical Society.

Studying these undergarments puts history on display in a real concrete, or many times lacy, and tangible fashion.

“Prior to the Victorian era, which began when Queen Victoria came into power, it was unheard of for women to wear underwear. To suggest it would have been vulgar, such as suggesting a girl wear her father’s boxer shorts under her prom dress,” Meyer said. “At the same time, women couldn’t expose their legs. They wore pantalets — cloth that tied around the legs. By the Victorian era, women were wearing drawers, they were like long pants, but crotchless. The design was about function, as a woman wore many layers of clothing.”

Dressing began with the first layer of clothing, which included drawers and a chemise, a long, sleeveless gown to protect the skin from the next layer. A corset, which cinched a woman’s waist and lifted her bosom, came next, followed by a corset cover or camisole. Hoop skirts and bustles were added next, followed by layers of petticoats. Only after pulling on these layers was a woman ready to wear a dress or skirt and shirt.

“What a woman wore over her undergarments was determined by the time of day, her social class and her activity,” Meyer said. “There were morning dresses and clothing specifically for visiting, receiving guests, dinner, tea and even walking on the beach at the sea. Yet everything was constructed to fit just right, without revealing any of the underpinnings. Everything was very secretive — even the hooks and buttons were hidden.”

In the 1920s, the first big change in women’s lingerie came about.

“We had the invention of the combo, a one-piece that replaced drawers and the chemise. Women’s civil rights came into play and World War I changed a lot in society. Nylon and rayon became popular and the corset went out of fashion,” Meyer said. “The ideal shape changed and women hid their curves. They wrapped their chests to create a very flat front.”

Pieces in the historical society’s collection range from the thin cotton petticoats and slips of mill workers to the exquisitely hand-sewn and embossed dressing gowns and corsets donated by the wealthy Crane family.

“We have many items that were donated by wealthy, but not well-known, families from around the county,” Sherman said. “We also have many petticoats and other items that belonged to mill workers — items that were reused and reused by families.”

To celebrate the exhibition’s opening, the historical society is hosting a fashion show, “A Revealing Lingerie Parade,” as part of the city’s 10 x 10 Festival. The fashion show, which will feature 10 models ranging in age from 26 to 82, is also doubling as the society’s only fundraiser this year.

“Our exhibit begins at 1810 and ends around 1930, but the fashion show will feature pieces from about 1790 to 1920, each representing a specific period,” said J. Peter Bergman, who is coordinating the show with Joan Degusto, who owns a vast collection of vintage clothing. “Joan is planning a very specific outfit for each woman that is representative of her assigned time period. In many cases, an outer garment from the time period will be worn and removed to reveal the lingerie. Others will just be in lingerie of that period, as well as being dressed with hats, parasols and walking sticks. It’s going to be quite a beautiful and intriguing show.”

Local models include Dyann Arduini, state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Lesley Ann Beck, Jana Laiz, Kristin Laney, Margaret Poutasse, and Nancy Tunnicliffe, as well as a few surprise guests.

The fashion show, which is being held at Shire City Sanctuary, is expected to last about an hour. A separate dinner and dance party, hosted by Shire City Sanctuary, will follow the show.

“We’re hoping to create a lush, and romantic, and evocative time,” Bergman said. “We want to evoke sentiment and emotion and rapture and romance with this unique experience.”

Jennifer Huberdeau can be reached at 413-496-6229.

If you go

“A Revealing Lingerie Parade”

What: Fashion show featuring vintage lingerie

Where: Shire City Sanctuary, 40 Melville St., Pittsfield

When: 4:30 p.m. Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14

Tickets: $25 in advance or $30 at the door. To book in advance, email lingerie@berkshirehistory.org

Information: 413-442-1793, ext. 14 or www.berkshirehistory.org