Cover Up

In the last article, I discussed the corset, which really hit the height of fashion in the Victorian times.  Victorian ladies wore many layers of undergarments, some of which continue into today’s fashion world.  The specific wardrobe piece I have in mind is the camisole.  The camisole has been around for a while, though its exact origins are unknown and it has been called by other names.  We have a wonderful example of a camisole in the Virgil and Thelma Linam Collection from the early 1900s.

Between the types of fabrics, the lack of washing machines (and dry cleaning!), and the lack of good personal hygiene, it was very hard to keep clothes clean or in good shape.  To help, people of the Middle Ages and the Victorian Age used layers in order to keep garments clean or to protect the layers from each other.  Corsets were not easy to wash, so ladies would wear a chemise as a barrier between the skin and corset.  The camisole, then, would go on top of the corset between the corset and the gown.  Not so much a hygiene item, the camisole would hide the corset, especially under thinner materials, cover the neckline of the corset for modesty, and provide protection from the corset’s clasps which could catch on clothing.  Camisoles were generally short, ending at the waist, where the chemise was longer like a modern day slip.  Camisoles were generally sleeveless and began as a plain garment but became more decorative into the 1900s (tudorlinks.com).  While we don’t wear corsets much anymore, the camisole has remained one of the staples of a woman’s wardrobe.

The camisole serves just about the same purpose today as it did during the Victorian Age.  It’s a layer between the woman’s undergarment and the blouse and can be used for modesty.  Camisoles today can be plain or embellished with lace and have become more than a simple undergarment.  Stop by the Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame and see other items that have remained through the ages like Martha Eller’s camisole in the Virgil and Thelma Linam Collection.