You asked: You do I get that "crinoline peek" effect?

This past February's post, Ten Fantastic Online Sources for Vintage Style Crinolines, proved to be highly popular and garnered a number of follow-up questions regarding buying, sourcing, repairing and wearing crinolines.

Some of them have been answered here in other posts, but I received one query this spring from a lovely reader in Louisiana (which, as a s side note, is a state that I've always felt hugely towards and hope to visit someday) that I don't believe I'd really delved into here before.

Interestingly, I have been asked similar questions before over the years, so it seemed high time I shared my answers to it with all of you, in case others out there were wondering the very same thing.

As today is not only the first Sunday in July, but also July 4th Eve, this isn't going to be an epic sized post by any means. No, instead it's a quick answer to a fun question, which is...


“How do I get that crinoline peek effect?”


This is just how my reader phrased her question and I must say, I adore that term, which no doubt most crinoline (aka, petticoat, aka pettiskirt) wearers will understand the meaning of.

What she's asking is how to I have just a wee bit of my crinoline show in a way that looks complimentary to my outfit and is clearly intentional, not like I'm a new to wearing vintage and/or am going to a 50s themed costume party/fancy dress ball.

Interestingly, many folks are not a fan of this look, in part because it wasn't overly common to see the hem end of a crinoline jutting out from beneath a skirt of dress back in the 1950s, though some people did opt to do so on occasion, especially if the crinoline was lace or otherwise fancily trimmed at the bottom.

Allowing an inch or two of your crinoline to playfully peek out from under your skirt can be a fun look though for sure, and sometimes it seems to enhance an ensemble even more than if the crinoline was completely obscured.



{American movie star Debbie Remolds rocking a beautiful summertime halter dress and strappy Grecian style sandal outfit with just a hint of her voluminous crinoline peaking out - at least while sitting. This is the sort of subtle "visible crini edge" look that those who enjoy this styling trick tend to aim for. Vintage photo source.}


As a general rule, I personally prefer to have my crinolines remain hidden (and try to ensure their length compliments my skirt or dress so that the two fall in an even, flattering manner without creating that dreaded "too-long-hem" look where the last few inches of a skirt or dress just flop over where the crinoline ends).

However, if my crinoline is lace trimmed or if I'm trying to tie its hue into the overall colour palette of my ensemble, then I may let a wee bit peek out on purpose.

If you enjoy having a little bit of your crinoline appear at the bottom of your skirt or hem, be it once in a blue moon, on the daily, or anywhere in between, read on for some simple ways to achieve this fun effect:


-Should you happen to regularly wear dresses and/or skirts of roughly the same length - say 26 or 27 inches long - intentionally purchase crinolines that are 1 - 3 inches longer that (the US online shop Pettiskirt Style, for example, has a fabulous range of different length crinolines).

-Consider hemming some of your dresses and skirts a little to allow existing crinolines to show through at the bottom (I'd suggest just folding and hemming the excess fabric, in case you change your mind at some point and want to let the hem out to its original length again).

-In an absolute pinch, if you just needed to shorten your hem for a day or other brief period of time, you could use a small number of tiny, secure safety pins to temporarily hem it, though it's very likely that at least a little of the metal from such would show up on your skirt or dress if you did so, and it's also possible that the safety pins could damage the garment so proceed with caution there, if you do take that approach.

I'd also recommend ironing the hem flat, but not ironing over the pins themselves, as doing so could also create damage and/or rust if there's steam, water or starch involved, to your garment itself.

-Or conversely, you may wish to add (sew, fabric glue, or even attach with snaps for a removable option) some pretty trim, lace, additional tulle, etc to the bottom of an existing crinoline to length it a touch.

-If the waistband of a skirt allows, roll (fold) it over once or twice to shorten the over all length of the garment.

-And in the same vein, wear your skirts a bit higher up (perhaps with a belt to help the lines of the outfit still flow smoothly, if need be) and thus the crinoline should naturally show at the bottom, if the two were similar in length to begin with.



{If your crinoline - or, for that matter, lace or tulle trimmed slip, another popular mid-century undergarment - is as pretty as these stunning 1950s examples, you may not want to keep its hems hidden in the slightest, especially if the colour(s) or your crini help to tie your outfit together all the more. Vintage image source.}

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Those are my approaches to creating a a spot of "crinoline peek", of which, in the long run, the easiest may to simply try to buy crinolines that are a little longer than some of your favourite skirts and dresses, or alternatively, garments that are a touch shorter than your current crinolines.

Given the vast number of repro, vintage style, rockabilly, gothabilly, and pinup girl style clothing companies that produce garments that hit at or around the knees on many people, the latter approach may be the easier of the two.

Sometimes, of course, you may find that crini + clothing combos you have already line up this way naturally, and thus little to further (garment) hem lengthening may be required. When I intentionally aim to have a little of my crinoline show, this is usually how and why it happens.

Thank you to my reader for this great question! Now two for all of you...Do you have any other tips for helping ensure an intentional bit of your crinoline hem shows, and in general are you a fan of this look or do you prefer to keep your crinis completely under wraps?

{Beautiful vintage Independence Day Gil Elvgren pinup girl – naturally with a bit of slip showing. Image source.}

And last, but not least, I want to wish a truly happy, safe, fun filled and fabulous 4th of July to all of my awesome US readers and friends tomorrow. I hope that your celebration is as cheery and beautiful as the fireworks that will be capping off the evening from coast to shining coast!

Ten fantastic online sources for vintage style crinolines

Over the years one of the vintage fashion related topics that I've received quite a few questions about via email and Facebook PMs has been in regards to where where I source my crinolines from.
 
Crinolines are also known as petticoats or pettiskirts, though, historically speaking in North American parlance at least, both of those (usually) differed from the tulle/netting/otherwise poufy garment that we call a crinoline today.

In the 21st century, the three are often used fairly interchangeably (and the terminology will often vary from country to country). However, for the sake of simplicity in this post, I will refer to this type of garment as a crinoline, which was certainly one of their most common names during the 1950s - the decade that, above all others, saw an epic vogue for this flouncy undergarment.



{Though nowadays they’re often associated largely with the youth culture of the 1950s, back in the late 1940s (where they got a serious boost from Dior's New Look) through to the early 1960s, this skirt volume boosting garment was sported by ladies from all ages and walks of life, and many ads featured adults in their 20s and 30s modeling the crinolines on offer. Vintage crinoline ad image source.}


Believe it or not, prior to the age of 25 (as discussed in this 2010 post), I had never owned a crinoline. Nope, not a one - despite adoring them something fierce. Well, I've definitely made up for lost time in the years since then and now own quite a few, including this rainbow stunner.
 
I don't wear them on a daily basis, but it's rare for more than a few weeks to pass at any point in the year without one coming out to play as part of a 1950s ensemble. I tend to prefer a small to medium amount of poof to my crinolines (and thus rarely double, triple, etc mine up - a handy technique that can land you tons upon tons of crinoline fullness), but do own some - including the aforementioned rainbow beauty - that have a square dance worthy amount of fullness to them.
 
As more traditional vintage styles and pinup looks alike have continued to explode in popularity in recent years, the array of online sources that we have at our disposal to source crinolines from has also grown in leaps and bounds.
 
Naturally, many sites that stock a range of vintage reproduction, rockabilly and/or pinup looks sell the same brands of crinolines and it wouldn't make a great deal of sense to list too many of those here in today's post.
 
You'll find some such options, but I've purposely tried to wrangle up an array of sites that sell their own exclusive brands/designs of crinolines, to help give the pettiskirt connoisseur ample shopping options on this front.
 
So without further ado, let's jump right in and explore ten wonderful sources for 1950s style crinolines.




1. Pettiskirt Style: One of my absolute go-tos for fabulous, well made crinolines in a huge range of colours (including the dusty rose chiffon beauty above that I would absolutely love to add to my closet!), plus various lengths, numbers of tiers, materials, and degrees of fullness. In addition to stocking women's crinolines, Pettiskirt Style also has a fabulous selection of children's styles, too.




2. The House of Foxy: From the UK comes The House of Foxy's wonderful array of classic (typically 26 inch) length and style chiffon crinolines in a bevy of seriously covetable colours, such as the St. Patrick's Day perfect Kelly Green example shown here.




3. Blue Velvet Vintage: This beloved US seller of vintage, vintage reproduction and vintage style garments delivers a lovely assortment of modern, 1950s style crinoline offerings. I own a light blue crini that is very similar to Sky Blue one highlighted here and am constantly delighted by just how many colours this sweet, classical hue partners splendidly with.




4. Unique Vintage: Classic colours, elegant lengths, and high quality crinolines like this chic, endlessly wearable 1950s Style Black Tea Length Ruffled Chiffon Petticoat Crinoline are always available from US seller Unique Vintage and make for a perfect pairing with tons of the 1950s style skirts and dresses this powerhouse of an online vintage style clothing shop carries.




5. Malco Modes: Presented in a modest sized array of different vintage and modern lengths (their Melonie crinoline, pictured here, is the longest version that they presently offer), Malco Modes crinoline offerings are reasonably priced, available in a broad spectrum of hues, and a well known go-so source for many in the dance and costuming world who use crinolines as part of their attire.




6. Pinup Girl Clothing: For those who are acquainted with this site's stellar array of vintage and pinup style offerings - which include scores of beautiful skirts and dresses - it will likely come as little surprise that Pinup Girl Clothing also sells a slew of crinolines in a lovely assorted of lengths and colours (including this dark red number that I'm swooning up a storm over!).




7. Retro Glam: To all of my fellow Canadian vintage adoring gals out there (and my international sisters who want to take advantage of the weak Canadian dollar these days), I happily present Retro Glam's delightful crinoline selection, which includes styles from brands such as Banned Apparel and Hell Bunny (such as the stunning navy blue version above that has been on my wardrobe wishlist for about a year and a half now).




8. Doris Designs: Romantic, voluminous and available in the most enchantingly pretty colours (like the dreamy aquamarine blue version pictured here), UK based Doris Design's crinolines are made of softer materials than many other versions on the market today and have the added bonus of coming in three different lengths for many styles (the 26" inch would be the most 1950s appropriate length for the majority of wearers).




9. Atomic Cherry: Those stylish crinoline adoring ladies in the Australia will definitely want to check out Atomic Cherry's selection of 1950s style crinolines, which currently include options from both Chic Star and Hell Bunny (like the elegant dark purple petticoat shown here).




10. Lindy Bop: Wonderfully well priced (even for those outside of the UK), Lindy Bop's fabulous array of different coloured, fluffy crinolines - like this 28 inch mint green gem - are sure to have you hitting the "add to cart" button faster than you can say sockhop! :)

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In addition to modern sources for crinolines, one does of course have the option to buy the genuine 1950s (or occasionally older, and sometimes newer) deal as well.

Such crinolines are often priced, both online and off, fairly comparably to good quality 21st century options. They may be a touch more fragile/time worn, but many have held up surprisingly well and will naturally partner sublimely with genuine mid-century garments, particularly circle skirts and wide skirted dresses.

If you're on the hunt for such, try eBay, Etsy, The Best Vintage Clothing, various other independent vintage shops, local vintage, thrift, antique, and second hand shops, as well as costume and dance wear shops, some of (the latter of) which do occasionally stock vintage items on top of their modern inventory.

New (vintage style) crinolines can be found at a wide array of price points, from less than $20.00 USD on eBay to hundreds of dollars for custom made offerings.

Thankfully, most fall closer to the first number and a vast array of beautiful, stylish, good quality crinolines can be had for under $125.00 from a range of stockists around the world (with comparable prices in UK pounds and Euros, for those in Europe).

To date, I've not paid more than $100.00 USD for any of mine and have been genuinely pleased with the construction, fit, length and material of all of my modern crinolines.

Though there are exceptions to most every rule, remember that - as in most things in life - you usually get what you pay for. The jump in price between a $25 crinoline on eBay and a $50 one on a repro site might not seem that big, but it could mean the difference between a stiff, inflexible, cheaply made crinoline and a comfy, softer tulle version that lasts for years.

You certainly don't have to break the bank when shopping for crinolines and the fact that they do tend to hold up well means that you'll often get a very low cost per wear ratio out of your pettiskirts as time goes on.

I hope that the sites in today's post help give you some fun new sources for your own crinoline needs, whether you're shopping for your first, have twenty in the closet, or are on the hunt for a particular hue - and of course, if you have any favourite sources for new or vintage crinolines alike that weren't mentioned here, please don't hesitate to share them in the comments below.

These voluminous old school wardrobe styles are a blast to wear, channel the look of the 50s superbly, and even have the added bonus of provided some much needed warmth to the lower half of your body when sported during the colder months. If that isn't worth doing a twirl (in your favourite crini) over, I don't know what it is! :)

A beautiful rainbow crinoline from Pettiskirt Style, my blue birthday dress, and the remains of an Edwardian hotel

Outfit details

Blue hair flower: Arden
Faux pearl bow barrette: Dollar store
Gold toned hoop earrings: Claire's
Pearl necklace: Birthday gift from Tony ♥
1980s does 1950s blue dress: eBay
Dusty aqua knit shrug: Walmart
Rainbow crinoline: Pettiskirt Style
C. 1950s white gloves with floral embroidery: eBay
Vintage grey handbag: etsy seller Running Rabbit Studio
Nude seemed stockings: eBay
White pumps: Payless
Lip colour: Clinique Raspberry Glace


Photography by Antonio Cangiano










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Without the tiniest whisper of a doubt, one of my very favourite undergarments is the trusty, beautiful crinoline (as long time readers may recall from various posts over the years, including this one back in 2010). Though I don't wear them every day, they're a tried and true love of mine that appear in various outfits throughout the year (such as this Canada Day ensemble and this festive pumpkin picking outfit from last October).

Interestingly, I find I reach for my modest sized collection of crinolines most frequently during the summer and winter months.

When the sun is out in full, blazing force, they had an especially feminine, at times even subtly whimsical flounce and sense of even greater airiness to sundresses and wide, breezy skirts. Come the bone chilling days of late autumn and into the winter, they provide a stellar layer of insulation against freezing cold winds (opaque tights, a crinoline, and a circle skirt, plus warm layers on top, is one of my most commonly reached for winter looks). No matter the season though, I adore crinolines and am always eager to both add more to my wardrobe and weave those that I have into new outfits.

A number of my crinolines (including those in the posts referenced above) hail from online crinoline retailer Pettiskirt Style. I discovered this site about three years ago and have been a steadfastly devoted fan ever since (Pettiskirt Style also has a great Facebook page that's bursting with photos of their products).

Not only do they provide an extensive array of different crinoline (aka, pettiskirt) styles, colours, and lengths (including a good many that work wonders for vintage looks), but their offerings are well photographed (this is a key point for me with any online clothing retailer), reasonably priced, and able to be shipped to Canada (and most other countries around the world - for more details, see their shipping policies page).

I was over-the-moon excited then, having already shopped with them before and been 100% satisfied with my purchases, when a lovely member of the Pettiskirt Style staff contacted me a little earlier this year to know if I'd be interested in receiving a complimentary crinoline (of my choosing) to wear and review here on my blog.

The idea of a multi-coloured rainbow crinoline is something that had appealed to me ever since I was a little girl, so when I saw that Pettiskirt Style had recently introduced one (actually, two - they have both a bright crinoline, pictured below, and a pastel rainbow coloured one in stock), I knew that was the lovely new tulle beauty that was destined to be mine.

More voluminous than any other crinoline (be it from Pettiskirt Style or elsewhere, vintage or modern) that I own, the Rainbow Bright Primary Colors Crinoline is a true delight to behold and wear. It's poufy, stable, comfortable, and warm (but certainly not stiflingly so - it was nearly +30C the day we took these photos and I didn't feel like I was overheating in the slightest), as well as being a true show stopper of a piece.

A majestic crinoline like this calls for a full skirted dress (or circle skirt) and plenty of 1950s inspired styling. To that end, I opted to wear it with the wonderful 1950s does 1980s Cerulean blue dress that I bought as my birthday present to myself this year and have been eager to debut here ever since I blogged about it (in this post).

The dress and the rainbow crinoline were definitely the stars of the shows, so I kept my accessories on the more understated side - a pair of white elbow length vintage gloves with delicate floral embroidery, dusty aqua hued knit shrug, matching blue hair flower, my beloved strand of pearls, small gold toned hoop earrings, vintage grey handbag, stockings, and classic white pumps.

For such a fun and dramatic outfit, an extra special location was in order, and we found ours that day in the stone shell foundational remains of the historic 1912 hotel in the neighbouring community of Kaleden. For as long as I've been coming to, and living in, the Okanagan, this hotel has been a ghost of its former self, instead of a functioning inn, but thankfully what remains has been well preserved and now stands as one of the oldest - at 103 years of age (despite it's name, it was actually built in 1910 and opened the following year) - partial structures in the Southern Okanagan.

From the warm, late summer sunshine to the Edwardian stone backdrop to the gloriously lovely crinoline I was sporting, this shoot, day and outfit were a total joy, and I know that I shall be slipping into this crinoline again many more times over the years - especially when an abundance of volume is called for underneath my skirt.

I have - and I am completely unbiased when I say this - nothing but the very best to say about Pettiskirt Style's beautiful crinolines. I've shopped from them before, was thrilled to receive this awesome rainbow crinoline as a review gift (thank you so very much, dear Pettiskirt Style team), and have no doubt that I will likely order from them again in the future.

Their line is constantly expanding, they have such a great selection, their products jive terrifically with my vintage style, and they fulfilled my adolescent dream of rainbow pettiskirt - what's not to adore?

If you're in the mood to do some crinoline shopping of your own, I am delighted to share a wonderful coupon code that with you today that will allow readers from around the world to save a substantial 20% off on your entire order from Pettiskirt Style until October 30, 2013. Just use Jessica20 when you check out and the discount will automatically be applied to your purchase.

Happy crinoline shopping and wearing, my dears!