Olive Green Silk Taffeta Ruffled Underskirt

Fin de Siecle / Gibson Girl · 1890s · French

This 1890s French underskirt demonstrates the elaborate foundation garments required for fashionable dress of the Fin de Siècle period. Constructed from olive green silk taffeta, the garment features a fitted waistband and full A-line silhouette that would have supported the fashionable bell-shaped skirts of the era. The lower third is dramatically embellished with multiple tiers of black ruffles, creating textural contrast and visual weight at the hem. These cascading ruffles appear to be knife-pleated or gathered, creating dimensional volume that would have rustled audibly with movement. The construction reflects the period's emphasis on layered undergarments that shaped the outer silhouette while remaining hidden beneath the dress.