Waist (clothing)

Waist was a common term in the United States for the bodice of a dress or for a blouse or woman's shirt from the early 19th century through the Edwardian period.

A shirtwaist was originally a separate blouse constructed like a shirt; i.e., of shirting fabric with turnover collar and cuffs and a front button closure. In the later Victorian period the term became applied more generally to unlined blouses with relatively simple construction and usually of a cotton or linen fabric, but often highly ornamented with embroidery and lace.

From the mid-20th century, shirtwaist referred to a dress with the upper portion (the bodice and sleeves) fashioned like a man's shirt, with a turnover collar and buttons down the front. Different embroidery were added to the shirtwaist, like rhinestones and different patterns.

A 1906 advertisement for sewing patterns by The Modern Priscilla, a needlework magazine, showing 16 different designs for shirtwaists, with details about patterns and materials.

See also

• Corsage
• Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

References

• Picken, Mary Brooks (1973). The Fashion Dictionary. Funk and Wagnalls. ISBN 0-308-10052-2.