Frequently Drawn Maid Costumes The most commonly drawn maid uniforms are billowy in appearance, owing to the presence of a pannier underneath to ensure that the external skirt has fullness and flounce. Traditionally, the pannier was made of a material called "tulle," a netted fabric about as stiff as a screen window. The parts that would touch the skin were made of sheer or soft materials. A soft petticoat was worn directly underneath the skirt to protect it from the stiff tulle.
This illustration shows a basic pannier. When drawing, visualize the pannier as being semitransparent, allowing the silhouette of the figure underneath to be visible.
The illustration below shows a pannier with frills. This is worn to give more volume and flounce to the skirt.
>
This illustration shows a pannier overlain with a petticoat. The petticoat is an underskirt originally worn to prevent the feet from becoming tangled in the skirt's hem. However, here it is worn to protect the outer skirt from being damaged by the stiff tulle.
Depending on the fashion, the lace trim of the petticoat may be designed to show from underneath the skirt.
8
