Wiktionary
alt. A form of long underpants with a frill at the bottom of each leg n. A form of long underpants with a frill at the bottom of each leg
Wikipedia
Pantalettes are undergarments covering the legs worn by women, girls, and very young boys (before they were breeched) in the early- to mid-19th century.
Pantalettes originated in France in the early 19th century, and quickly spread to Britain and America. Pantalettes were similar to leggings. They could be one-piece or two separate garments, one for each leg, attached at the waist with buttons or laces. The crotch was left open for hygiene reasons. They were most often of white linen fabric and could be decorated with tucks, lace, cutwork or broderie anglaise.
Ankle-length pantalettes for women were worn under the crinoline and hoop skirt to ensure that the legs were modestly covered should they become exposed. Pantalettes for children and young girls were mid-calf to ankle-length and were intended to show under their shorter skirts. Until the mid-19th century, very young boys were commonly dressed in dresses, gowns and pantalettes, though these were commonly associated with girls' clothing, until the boys were breeched at any age between 2 and 8 years of age, and sometimes older. Young boys would be dressed in this fashion until at least they were toilet-trained.
Usage examples of "pantalettes".
Her petticoats went next, then she felt the hot pleasure of his hands upon her bare hips as he wrenched at the pantalettes, swearing when he ripped a satin tie.
He set her down none too gently, wrenching away her loosened petticoat, pantalettes, and corset.
Even as he pulls her pantalettes down, she lifts her head high, straining as if for a Lamarckian feat of evolution, her jaw trembling slightly, her mouth falling open with effort.
Her camisole stinks, her pantalettes have the snot of male ecstasy all over them.
The chilly air turns mild, but Sugar shivers beneath her dress and coat, for her camisole and pantalettes, clumsily washed in the bath-tub and dried in front of the fire, are still damp.
And at once she grabs hold of her skirts and gathers them up under her bosom, holding the rucked material with one hand while, with the other, she pulls down the front of her pantalettes, exposing the dark pubic triangle.
Without any erotic niceties, she hitches up her skirts, yanks off her pantalettes, and flings her legs over her head, the sides of her knees almost touching her ears.
Tentatively, Sugar pushes William, to shift him off her pantalettes, which he does without demur.
She rushes back upstairs and dresses faster than she ever has before--donning pantalettes, camisole, dress, coatee, stockings, garters, shoes, gloves and bonnet in much the same time that Lady Bridgelow might deliberate over the placement of a single hairpin.
Only when leaning forward in her seat was she made aware, by a sharp sting of pain, that the hair of her genitals was glued to her pantalettes with dried blood.
A couple of shifts, some clean pantalettes, stockings, a spare pair of shoes: a suitcase is soon full.
They had to be worked up over her pantalettes, for there was no way she would consider wearing the rough cloth next to her skin.
They were all fascinated by the corset and nothing would do but that they unlace it, too, and examine it, so Grace was left in just pantalettes and a chemise, which, when she thought about it, was much the same as they were wearing.
For pieces of silver I dressed her sweet confidences in the pantalettes and frills of folly and made them dance in the market place.
With her blowing skirts and froth of lacy petticoats, and her ruffled pantalettes showing, and her sweet little crook with its pretty bow tied on it?