1 – Choosing the Material2 – The Right Shape3 – The Perfect Length
4 – The Poofiness5 – Extra Features6 – Washing Instructions

1 – Choosing the Material

Currently MeLikesTea offers 2 different materials for petticoats: Organza and Voile.

Organza
It is very pretty and glittery and  its poofiness relies on the fact that it’s a little stiff. It is a delicate material so if you’re the kind of person that likes to party hard while wearing a petticoat maybe you should take a look at another material or just be more careful while wearing it. Because it is a stiff material it gives more volume per layer than a voile petticoat, however, if badly stored and taken care of it may soften with time and lose a bit of its poofiness.
Voile
Voile is currently the chosen material for the majority of our customers! It is similar to chiffon so it relies on the amount of fabric to give the poof rather than on the stiffness of the fabric, since it has none. To give a nice poof it has to have a lot of fabric so petticoats made in this material tend to be heavier than organza but it is very comfortable and does not deflate! To give the same initial amount of poof as organza it is necessary to add more layers than an organza petticoat would need.

2 – The Right Shape

Basically there are two shapes you can choose between: Bell-shaped/ Cupcake or A-line.
Bell-shaped petticoats (aka cupcake) will make your skirt look like a bell whereas A-line will make your skirts look more like an A.

Can you guess which shape of petticoat was used under this skirt to make it the shape it has in each picture?

If you said A-line, Cupcake, A-line, Cupcake you got it right!

Now all you need to do is decide which shape is the best for your wardrobe and take a look at the petticoats available to choose the model that better suits your needs.
Currently these are MeLikesTea’s models in each shape, you can also find this information in each petticoat’s individual page:

Cupcake
PT01, PT03, PT04, PT06*, PT07**
A-line
PT02, PT05, PT06*, PT07**

* Rose Petticoat (PT06) can be used both as an A-line petticoat and a Cupcake petticoat, it’s shape is in-between both shapes and  depending on the cut of your dress or skirt will mold itself to it. **Zoë Petticoat (PT07) can be used both as an A-line petticoat and a Cupcake petticoat, its shape depends upon the petticoat or crinoline worn underneath it.

Be aware that the shape of the petticoat may change a little according to your own body shape.


3 – The Perfect Length

Check how long your skirts and the skirts of your dresses are, that’s the only way to know how long your petticoat needs to be.

If you DO NOT want your petticoat to show under your skirt then choose a length that is at least 5cm shorter than your skirts.

If your skirts have built-in petticoat than even a petticoat 10cm shorter would be alright for most skirts and dresses.

We do not recommend ordering a petticoat that is more than 15cm shorter than the length of your skirts unless you plan on wearing it lower than your natural waist.

MeLikesTea petticoats are so pretty that you could even wear them just for themselves, no skirt at all!

4 – Choosing the Amount of Poof

Currently MeLikesTea offers the possibility to make your petticoat with 2 to 8 layers depending on the petticoat model but if you think the maximum number of layers stated is not enough for you just send us an e-mail informing which model you’d like to purchase and how many layers you’d like it to have.

Each material gives a different amount of poof per layer, organza gives more volume than voile and therefore voile petticoats usually need more layers to give the same amount of poof as an organza pettie.
All petticoat models have photos of different lengths and number of layers so you can expand the image to see the description of the petticoat in the picture.

Keep in mind that changes in the body shape will also change the looks of the petticoat. The very same petticoat will look different in two different people.

Our dressform’s measurements are:

Waist: 62cm
Hips: 83cm


5 – Extra Features


If there is something else that you’d like to add to your petticoat just send us an email and we will check if we can make that happen!


6 – Washing Instructions

Your petticoat shouldn’t need to be fully washed frequently, it’s better to just wash the waistband or possible stained spots, however, if you wish to wash it follow these instructions:

  • Do not use a washing machine to wash your petticoat, instead always gently hand wash it, specially if it is made of organza;
  • Let the petticoat soak in water and soap/detergent of your choice for a while. Do not use bleach, it may damage the fibres of the fabric;
  • Hand wash your petticoat using gentle movements to swish it through the sudsy water. Avoid scrubbing or twisting actions that can stretch or damage the fabric;
  • Rinse the petticoat by hand to remove the soap/detergent and gently squeeze the excess water from the garment;
  • Let your petticoat dry in the shade, preferably hanging upside down from it’s lining;
  • Do not iron your petticoat, especially if it is made of organza.

If you’re still in doubt about how to choose the best petticoat for you send an e-mail to [email protected]