AN IMPROVED PETTICOAT OR SKIRT FOR LADIES OR CHILDREN to be as follows:-
Year: 1885

page_text: I ALICIA MARGRETTA KNOTTESFORD-FORTESCUE, of Alveston Manor House,
Stratford-on-Avon, in the County of Warwick do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for "AN IMPROVED PETTICOAT OR SKIRT FOR LADIES OR CHILDREN
to be as follows:-
°
"
My invention relates to garments which are chiefly designed to replace the
ordinary petticoats now worn by ladies and children, but which are also advan-
tageously applicable as over-skirts or dresses for children; and my said invention
comprises improvements whereby I provide for more efficiently protecting the
wearer from the effects of cold and draughts than is possible by the ordinary
petticoats, and, at the same time, permitting the free movement of the lower
limbs of the wearer, without the disadvantages attending the use of divided
skirts; and also for enabling petticoats to be made of lighter materials than
heretofore.
My improved garment or petticoat is preferably made of washing-silk for summer
wear, and of fine shirting flannel for winter wear; but it may be made of any
other suitable material. Unlike an ordinary petticoat, it is closed at the lower
part, or its lower edges are united as in the case of a bag, with the exception of
two holes through which the feet ankles and lege up to a short distance above the
knees are to be passed. The silk or other material around these holes is bound or
secured in any suitable manner, and suspenders of any desired description (such
as ordinary stocking-suspenders) are attached thereto. It is a very important
point that the said holes should be sufficiently far apart and that the parts fitting
around the legs should be worn sufficiently high upon the thighs to permit the free
use of the lower limbs of the wearer.
The said improved garment or petticoat is provided with a band at the top
whereby it may be secured, by means of buttons or otherwise to the chemise corset
or other suitable garment, on the wearer. It is open at the back, but is so made
that one part or edge thereof will overlap the other and thus practically close it
and most efficiently protect the wearer against cold.
The improved garment is to be put on in the following manner, that is to say,
the feet must be passed through the holes for the legs, as in putting on a pair of

page_text: ordinary drawers; the edge of each hole is then turned in, and drawn up on the
thigh a few inches above the knee and the suspender arranged to keep the hole in
that position when the wearer is standing erect, the suspenders are attached to the
chemise, corset, corset bodice or other garment; the upper edge of the garment
must then be pulled up around the body of the wearer and may be fastened at,
or near, the waist, or very preferably round the hips; the petticoat will then fall
in a double fold about half way between the knee and ankle.
This improved garment may, if desired, be provided with a pocket or pockets in
any convenient positions.
1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.

page_text: Figure 1 is a front view, and
Figure 2 a rear view of my improved garment.
Figures 3 and 4 show different forms of elastic bands or straps for use therewith.
In making the said garment, I take a suitable number of breadths of material
and join them in such a manner that the seams will extend from the top to the
bottom of the garment. I fold the piece of material thus formed so that one end
thereof will overlap the other end thereof as shown at a, b, c, d in Figure 2, the
distance from a to d being about twenty-six inches. I then unite the lower edges
from e to f, thus closing the petticoat at the bottom with the exception of two
openings for the legs. I gather each opening into a band g about twenty inches
in length; and I gather the top of the petticoat into a band h, arranging the
material equally all around the said band.
The band h is provided with button-holes h¹ so that the petticoat may be secured,
by means of buttons, to the chemise, corset, bodice or other suitable garment on the
wearer, or the said band is provided with other suitable devices for securing the
petticoat upon the wearer.
I attach to each of the bands g a strap i to which is secured a button ; and
I provide elastic straps k having button-holes formed in the ends thereof. These
straps are to be fastened upon the buttons for the purpose hereinafter specified.
The straps are either made with buckles k¹, as shown in Figure 4, so that they
can be lengthened or shortened at will; or they are made without buckles, as
shown in Figure 3.
The improved garment is to be put on in the following manner, that is to say,
the feet must be passed through the holes for the legs, as in putting on a pair of
ordinary drawers; the bands g around the said holes are then drawn up on the

page_text: thighs a few inches above the knees, and the elastic straps k attached to the straps i
are turned in and pulled up through the openings and fastened by means of buttons
or otherwise to the front of the bodice or other garment upon the wearer. The
upper edge of the garment must then be pulled up around the body of the wearer
and may be fastened at, or near, the waist, or preferably around the hips; the
petticoat will then fall in a double fold to about half way between the knees and
the ankles.
It is a very important point that the holes or openings for the legs should be
sufficiently far apart and that the parts fitting around the legs should be worn
sufficiently high upon the thighs to permit the free use of the lower limbs of the
wearer.
Although the petticoat is open at the back, yet it is so made that one part or
edge will overlap the other part or edge thereof and thus practically close it and
most efficiently protect the wearer against cold.
This improved garment may, if desired, be provided with a pocket or pockets in
any convenient positions. The manner of making the said garment may obviously.
be somewhat modified without departing from the nature of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The improved garment made substantially as above set forth for the purposes
specified.