antique cotton pettipants in fine white lawn, cut full and gathered with an elasticated waist. the hem is where the work is: a deep scalloped border of appliqué lace, its arched motifs filled with botanical forms on a net ground, consistent with battenburg or tape lace technique. above it, small whitework embroidered buds are worked directly into the cotton. the combination of the two techniques — appliqué lace below, whitework above — is a classic pairing from the edwardian era of domestic lingerie production. no label of any kind. the elastic waist is likely a later replacement; the original closure would have been a drawstring or buttons. they wear naturally as shorts, as a layering piece under a sheer skirt, or as a boudoir bottom paired with a chemise.
