How to wear a petticoat.

I've decided this will be petticoat week, sound good? 
 Ok. Lets get started. 
 Here are some answers to some frequently asked questions, basically how to wear the correct petticoat with the correct dress or skirt. 
 Many petticoats you may find today are square dance petticoats. These modern petticoats meant to be worn under short and full square dance dresses, and are in turn, very short and full. These are something you want to avoid under your average 1950s full skirt, because even though they have the effect of fullness at the top, the base has an undesirable waterfall effect that causes a break at the skirt. This one is actually not as full as many square dance petticoats, but conveys the general idea: 

Below we have a layer by layer look at the correct way to add fullness to a full pleated skirt. This dress is from the early 1950s, and has a longer and fuller skirt. At a glance it would seem a very full petticoat is underneath the frock, however, there are in fact three double layer petticoats stacked on one another: 

Now, I should note that an authentic 1950s look would not have the petticoat peeking out the hem. It can be a cute look if an inch is below the skirt hem, but personally I prefer the traditional way, completely covered. Part of the allure of a petticoat is to have it hidden under a skirt until you step just right or sit just right so that a little bit shows. But again, that's just my personal taste :) 

Next up we have a late 50s/early 60s dress with a semi full pleated skirt. This one is shorter and less full that the previous dress. 

Only a single, one layer petticoat is required to add a bit of fullness.  

Here is an example of being a little too ambitious with petticoats. Adding too much underneath, with a less full skirt can cause a muffin. As you can see the skirt is too narrow for so full of petticoats, and looks stretched out.
And last but not least, the circle skirt. This is a pretty little felt dress with a full circle skirt, which can handle many petticoats. Two of my shorter and fullest ones seem to do the trick: 

So there we have it. I hope that helped you out if you have some petticoats and weren't sure how to wear them, or are looking to start your own collection. And just for fun, here are some petticoat tips, and examples of various other petticoats, as you can see, there are many styles, lengths, and shapes! 
Stay tuned this week for petticoat inspiration and a Doris Petticoats review! 
Petticoat tips
Be sure your petticoat sits on your natural waist. Not too tight, but snug enough so that it doesn't slide down. Hiking up a petticoat all day kind of ruins the elegant effect. 
Sometimes when I want a certain color under a dress, but the petticoat is too long, I safety pin it to a long line bra. Front, back, and sides. 
Hand wash petticoats in warm water with dish soap, rinse, and lay out to dry. 
If you take an uncommon size, look for a petticoat that has an elastic casing, so you can adjust it to custom fit you. If the elastic is sewn to the fabric, it's much more difficult to adjust.
Minimal space, maximum petticoats? Hang them from a secure hook on the ceiling. 
If you don't have access to a fabric steamer to get some wrinkles out, hang the petticoat in the bathroom while the shower is going a few times. The steam should help work out some major wrinkles. 

All petticoats and dresses part of my collection and are not for sale. Black petticoat borrowed from Twila Jean, Studio courtesy of Urban Eccentric Vintage. Gray petticoat courtesy of Doris Petticoats.