When I shop for a crinoline, I am interested in length, fullness and colour. The length has to be suitable to hang properly under the skirt or dress I have in mind.  The fullness is important to me, too.  I love a sea of frothy billowing crinoline to be visible as I walk or sit down.  Full crinolines (100 yds or more) eliminate the need to double up one crinoline on top of another.  Colour is important, as well, for I generally like basic white, but it is nice to get some variety with different colours.

Practically speaking, one should at least have several white petticoats. It's nice, of course, to have different colors to go with different colored dresses. I've always said that nylon chiffon petticoats are the nicest because they feel so wonderful and they have a very pretty look. Taffeta petticoats are also very enjoyable.

Davita 4/21/97

"THE Petti" is the one at the moment that completes my outfit. It has to be a part of the outfit, it has to be the right color--matching or contrasting. It's got to be just barely peek out as I move about. It's always soft against my legs (I have a couple of "scratchies" though). "THE Petti" is the one that makes me dream of how nice life is!

Beth 4/22/97

When I got up enough nerve to buy my first pc there was only one basic style in the store I was in. It was the original type of material (not sure of the name) and was fairly full. I had an old skirt my mother had gotten in Mexico and never wore. It was blue so I bought a blue pc and matching petti pants....what a charge!!! just buying it was an unbelievable feeling. I couldn't wait to get it back and try it on.

All my later petticoats have had one basic theme..the fuller the better. However, after being in both square dance and clogging groups I have refined my tastes slightly. Although I like the feel of the original material, I realized that it looses fullness no matter how well you take care of it. I have discovered the crystaline material, although slightly more expensive, really holds it shape a lot longer and can be revitalized by just washing and letting it dry on an umbrella or something similar. I try to buy now based upon color to match an outfit (or better yet, one that will go with several outfits) , I buy at least 19" in length ( longer ones can be adjusted if necessary)and sometimes experiment with other materials or combinations of materials but usally end up with the crystal. But most importantly, fullness.....

I own several 80 yard ones and even wear several at a time. I'm going to treat myself sometime in the near future with a 120 yard or maybe a 140 yard one ......Just thinking about buying one and then shopping for it is really a turn on for me.....

My favorite petticoats are first nylon chiffon followed by nylon crystal and, last, nylon organdy. The thing I really like in a petticoat is FANCY! Lots of Lace!, Bows, Ribbon, and Ruffles! In complementing or contrasting Colors! Matching lace and ruffles are okay, but I love the extra color! A white petticoat with red rusching at the hems and red satin ribbon at the seam of each tier is Much (!) prettier than a plain white petti. The seam at each tier of a petticoat is a place that just begs to be dressed up with lace, ruffles or ribbon. The yoke of a petticoat needs a ribbon bow or an embroidered heart. So far I have never seen a petticoat that I thought was overdone. More lace, more ruffles, more ribbon, more bows, more color -- that what I look for.

I wholeheartedly agree with Liesel. The frillier the better. Especially in the satin ribbon and bow department. Another way I found to "Femininze" your petticoat is to use embroidery. The options are only limited by one's imagination. Its so sweet to identify the owner of the petticoat with pink satin letters in script, perhaps around the hem or near it. Such as "Donna's Pretty Petticoat". Or perhaps one could add where the petticoat came from or how the pretty person wearing it feels about it. "My prettiest petticoat", or "Aunty's favorite Petticoat" if this should be applicable. You can also make statements about why you wear petticoats and other intimate thoughts about your pretties. Alternating blue and pink satin letters, or all the colors of the rainbow if you like. If you like feeling like a Feminine Sissy in your petticoats, this is one delightful method of enhancing that sensation.