If you ever tried putting on 1910s underwear, you'd quickly realize how much work it actually took just to get dressed in the morning. Today, we usually just throw on two pieces and call it a day, but a century ago, getting ready was more of a tactical operation. It wasn't just about modesty or looking good; it was about structure, social standing, and navigating a world that was rapidly shifting from the stiff Victorian era into something a bit more modern.
The 1910s was a fascinating decade because it sat right on the edge of the old world and the new. At the start of the decade, women were still being squeezed into rigid silhouettes, but by the end, things were starting to loosen up—literally. Let's take a look at what was actually going on beneath those high-collared dresses and hobble skirts.
The Foundation: It All Started with the Chemise
Before anything else touched the skin, there was the chemise. Think of this as the basic "barrier" layer. Its job was simple: protect the expensive corsets and outer clothing from body oils and sweat. Because laundry was a massive chore back then, it was much easier to wash a simple cotton chemise every day than to try and clean a silk corset or a heavy wool gown.
These were usually made of lightweight cotton or linen. They were often quite pretty, featuring delicate lace or "whitework" embroidery around the neckline. In the early 1910s, many women also wore "drawers"—essentially knee-length pants with an open crotch (for practical reasons, given how many layers were on top). Eventually, these two pieces were sewn together to create a "combination," which helped reduce the bulk around the waist.
The Evolution of the Corset
When people think of 1910s underwear, the corset is usually the first thing that comes to mind. But it wasn't the "wasp-waist" style your grandmother might have worn. In the early part of the decade, the "S-bend" corset—which pushed the chest forward and the hips back—was still hanging on from the Edwardian era.
However, fashion was moving toward a slimmer, more columnar look. By 1912 or 1913, corsets became incredibly long. They didn't just stop at the waist; they went all the way down past the hips, sometimes almost reaching the knees. The goal wasn't to create a tiny waist as much as it was to create a long, straight line.
Can you imagine trying to sit down in a corset that goes halfway to your knees? It wasn't exactly designed for lounging. These long-line corsets were often made of Coutil (a very dense cotton) and featured a lot of elastic inserts to allow for at least a little bit of movement.
The Birth of the Modern Brassiere
One of the coolest things about the 1910s was the official "birth" of the bra as we know it. For a long time, women wore corset covers to smooth out the lines of the corset, but they didn't really provide "support" in the way a modern bra does.
In 1914, a young socialite named Mary Phelps Jacob (who later went by Caresse Crosby) patented the first modern brassiere. Legend has it she was tired of her stiff corset poking out of her sheer evening gown, so she took two silk handkerchiefs and some pink ribbon and fashioned a new kind of support.
It was a game-changer. While the "bra" took a while to fully replace the corset, the arrival of World War I sped things up. The government actually asked women to stop buying corsets to save metal for the war effort. That single request reportedly saved enough steel to build two battleships!
Camisoles and Corset Covers
Even if you had your corset and your chemise on, you weren't done. You still needed something to hide the "ribs" of the corset from showing through your dress. This is where the camisole or corset cover came in.
In the 1910s, these were often highly decorative. Since many blouses were made of sheer fabrics like chiffon or lawn, the 1910s underwear underneath was often meant to be seen—at least the lace and ribbon parts. Women would spend hours embroidering these pieces. It was a way to show off their needlework skills and add a touch of luxury to an otherwise functional outfit.
The Mid-Section: Petticoats and Slips
As the decade progressed, the giant, fluffy petticoats of the 1800s started to disappear. Because the "hobble skirt" (a skirt so narrow at the bottom that you could barely walk) became trendy around 1910, huge layers of underskirts just didn't fit anymore.
Instead, women shifted to wearing slim-fitting slips or single, narrow petticoats made of silk or satin. These were designed to help the dress drape perfectly without adding any width to the hips. If a woman was wearing a particularly narrow dress, she might even skip the petticoat entirely and just wear her combination suit.
What About the Men?
While women's 1910s underwear gets all the attention for being complicated, men had their own set of rules. For most guys, the "Union Suit" was the standard. This was a one-piece knitted garment that covered everything from the wrists to the ankles.
They were usually made of wool (which sounds incredibly itchy) or cotton. In the summer, men might switch to a "shortie" version, but for the most part, the Union Suit was the go-to foundation. It wasn't until the end of the decade and into the 1920s that we started seeing separate shirts and drawers becoming the norm for men.
Fabrics and the "Whitework" Obsession
If you look at surviving examples of 1910s underwear in museums today, the level of detail is staggering. Most of it was white—hence the term "whitework." Since bleach was the primary way to get things clean, colored underwear was risky because it would fade or streak.
But "white" didn't mean "boring." Women used intricate embroidery, lace inserts, and "threading ribbons" (tiny ribbons woven through eyelets in the lace) to make these pieces beautiful. It was a private luxury. Even if no one else saw it, knowing you had a beautifully hand-stitched silk camisole on made you feel "properly" dressed.
The Impact of the Great War
I can't stress enough how much World War I changed everything. Before the war, fashion was about excess and "the lady of leisure" look. Once the war started, women entered the workforce in huge numbers. They were driving ambulances, working in factories, and running farms.
You can't work in a munitions factory wearing a corset that goes down to your knees. 1910s underwear had to adapt. This is when we see the real rise of "utility" undergarments. Materials became scarcer, so the lace and ribbons were stripped away. The shapes became simpler, and the focus shifted toward comfort and ease of movement. This shift laid the entire foundation for the "Flapper" look of the 1920s.
Why It Matters Today
It's easy to look back at 1910s underwear and think, "Thank god I don't have to wear that." And honestly, fair point. But there's also something to be said for the craftsmanship of that era. Every piece was built to last, often handmade with incredible care.
When we wear modern "fast fashion" underwear today, we're choosing convenience, but we've lost that sense of ritual. The 1910s represented the last gasp of that ritualized way of dressing. It was a decade of transition, where the heavy restrictions of the past were slowly being unlaced, one ribbon at a time.
Whether it was the first bra or the last of the long-line corsets, the underwear of this era tells the story of women moving into a more active, public life. It's the story of fashion catching up to reality, and it's a lot more interesting than just some old scraps of lace.